Caught Up in His Shirt Tale
by adoreleo
Summary: Leo receives some disturbing news and it causes him to confront some old demons with a little help from his friends.
1. Part One

Title: Caught Up in His Shirt Tale (1/2)  
  
By: adoreleo  
  
Rating: PG13 - Contains some language and sexual innuendo.  
  
Characters: Leo, Margaret, Jed and Josh  
  
Spoilers: Anything up to and including An Kne.  
  
Disclaimer: The characters are from the NBC, WB, TV show The West Wing; they do  
  
not belong to me.  
  
Beta & Additional Ideas By: Lynn, who always goes above and beyond the call.  
  
THANKS!!!!  
  
Feedback: I would love it hear your opinion! Suggestions are welcome too!  
  
Summary: Leo receives some disturbing news and it causes him to confront some  
  
old demons with a little help from his friends.  
  
Tuesday Morning DC:  
  
Margaret arrives at the White House even earlier than her normal starting time this morning. She's technically not supposed to be at work until eight, but she's usually arrives closer to seven in the morning, but this morning she's at her desk by six. Leo's only scheduled to be in the office until noon today, so Margaret knows that he will come in even earlier than he usually does, hence, her premature arrival as well. She works very hard at trying to stay one-step a head of her excessively determined boss, which is something that is getting more difficult to do with each passing year that President Bartlet is in office. In the past few months, Leo practically lived in the West Wing. He just keeps gets more driven with each passing national, world or personal crisis.  
  
Margaret's expecting today to be the first light day that either she or Leo has had in months. Leo is flying to Chicago this afternoon to be a guest speaker at Ken O'Neal's Humanitarian Award Ceremony. When Margaret made the reservations for his trip, she booked him a room at the Chicago Hilton and a return flight for the day after the event even though Leo requested a return flight on the same night as the event. When Leo finally gets around to checking his itinerary this morning, he summons his assistant into his office.  
  
"Margaret!" Leo bellows, as he throws his objectionable schedule on his desk in disgust.  
  
Margaret quickly appears in his office, notebook in hand and ready for his instructions. "Leo?"  
  
"Margaret," Leo says, in a rough voice, as he stands behind his desk pointing at the paper on top of it. "What the hell is this?"  
  
Margaret arches an eyebrow and walks over to his desk and picks up the item that Leo's so adamantly pointing at. "Leo, it's your itinerary for your trip to Chicago." Her voice is tinted with sarcasm.  
  
"I can see that," Leo growls waving at the paper in frustration. "My return flight isn't until the next day. I can't stay there over night."  
  
"Yes you can," she says, as she lays the paper back down on his desk and turns to walk out of his office. "I booked you a room at the Chicago Hilton." She tells him over her shoulder. "You should be used to hotels by now since you'd lived in one for almost four years," she smirks.  
  
"Margaret," Leo thunders in a deep voice. "I don't care about staying at a damn hotel! I have to be back here tomorrow morning. My schedule has..."  
  
"Leo," Margaret interrupts him before he can launch his spiel. "I think I should *know* your schedule. There's nothing on it for tomorrow morning that Josh or Angela can't handle for you. You need to have some time away from the West Wing." Margaret surprises herself by being so forward with her boss, but she has nearly had in with his grumpiness and bad temper lately.  
  
"Margaret, I don't have time to stand here and argue with you about this." Leo growls, as he rubs the back of his neck. "Last time I checked, you still worked for me, so fix this!"  
  
Margaret stands there in his doorway with her eyes narrowed and her hand on the doorknob, "I'll cancel your room and change your flight, but I still say you need some time away from this place." Margaret closes the door none too softly as she softly mumbles, "I know I sure could use some time away from the cantankerous person you have become. That man's going to have a breakdown if he continues at this pace." She says to herself as she heads back to her desk. She picks up the phone and calls the hotel to cancel his room. Next, she calls the airlines and changes his flight. He won't get back to DC until two in the morning now. She doesn't like that he will get back that late, but there's nothing she can do about it. She waits for the fax from the airlines and then takes his new itinerary to him.  
  
Margaret walks back into Leo's office and lays his new schedule down on his desk. She stands there until he looks up at her. "Leo, can I just say that I was only thinking that you might get tired and you haven't been away from here in months and... well... I'm sorry." She gives him a heavy sigh and folds her arms over her chest.  
  
"Don't worry about," Leo says, as he picks up the fax and looks at.  
  
"That was the last flight available. Is that okay?" Margaret bites on her bottom lip to keep from telling him that he really shouldn't be flying back that late and that it really wasn't any good for him. That he needs to eat better, get more sleep and quite smoking again.  
  
"It's fine, thanks." Leo looks back down at the briefing book he was looking at before she came into the room. Margaret still is hovering by his desk. He looks back up at her. "Yeah?" He asks, as he breathes out a sigh. He knows she's going to comment on his welfare.  
  
"It's just that... well I worry and ... you haven't been... yourself lately. I just thought that... maybe... some time away would be nice." Margaret lowers her head and waits for his temper to flare. She knows that she has stepped over the line of their boss and assistant relationship.  
  
"Margaret," Leo breathes out a sigh. "I'm fine." He knows what she's saying is true. He really could use some time away, but he just doesn't have the time to spare right now. It's been nothing, but one crisis after another these pasts few months and this last one with Israeli's nuclear test has really drained him. The only reason he's going to Chicago is because the ceremony is for Kenny. If it had been for any other reason, he would have found a way out of it. "You shouldn't worry."  
  
"Well... I do," she softly replies, as she bobs her head, quickly turns and heads for the door.  
  
"Margaret," he reverently calls, stopping her and causing her turn around. Leo has finally completely calmed down and feels bad that he yelled at her earlier about his itinerary. He gives her an impish grin and nods his head.  
  
Margaret bobs her head in return and leaves. Sometimes mere words aren't necessary between them. She knows that he just apologized with his eyes and his lopsided grin. She smiles as she sits back down at her desk. That boyish grin of his drives her crazy. She tries to push those types of thoughts out of her head. She has a lot to do before Leo leaves for the day. She quickly pulls up his schedule on her computer and checks to see what's next.  
  
Leo sits there and watches her leave. He can't help but frown at her admission. She must really be worried about him to have been so bold about trying to pull a fast one on him about his schedule. He thought he was doing a better job of hiding his stress and tiredness. But, then he remembers that this is Margaret he's thinking about. He's never been able to hide anything from her. Well there's one thing, he hopes he's been able to hide. As soon as this thought enters his head, he tries to push it away again. It's getting harder to deny what he's been feeling lately. He needs to stop this. He leans back in his chair, winces his eyes closed and wills his mind and other parts of his body to stop. He's still like this when Margaret comes back into his office.  
  
"Leo, are you okay?" She asks with concern, as she moves over to the side of his desk. "Do you have a headache?"  
  
The sound and closeness of her voice startles him. His eyes fly open, and he jumps in his chair a little. "Damnit, why are you so intent on scaring me all the time?" He growls, as he tries to regain his composure. He scoots his chair further under his desk to hide the problem that he has been unsuccessful at keeping from developing. "I'm fine. I was... just thinking."  
  
"Okay," she agrees even though she knows he's trying to cover up something. "I just came in to remind you that you have senior staff in ten minutes, and the President would like you to see you before you leave today."  
  
"Okay," Leo hesitates, as he stares at her.  
  
"Leo, I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you." She offers, as her hands fidget in front of her.  
  
"Don't wor..." he starts to say, then stops. He knows that there's nothing that will keep her from worrying about him after the way he's been acting this morning. "Check the President's schedule and see when he has a couple of minutes so he can torment me before I leave for Chicago." He smirks, as he motions for her to leave his office.  
  
Margaret smiles at his comment about the President. She knows it true and wishes that those two had more time to spend together as friends instead of President and Chief of Staff. But, she knows that's not going to happen for at least another three years. She leaves Leo's office and decides to walk over and check with Charlie about the President's schedule for the morning.  
  
Today is the first reality easy day that Margaret's had at work in months. This was Leo's first day, well in reality only a partial day, which he's been away from the White House in months. The only reason he agreed to go was that it was for his good friend Kenny. Between the President and Ken, he would walk though fire for either one of them. Margaret knows why Leo would do this for the President, but she doesn't know much about Leo's friendship with Ken. She knows that they are both from Chicago, served together in the war and worked together at Mueller-Wright years before she came along as his assistant. She's just happy that he was at least getting out of the West Wing for a few hours.  
  
With Leo out of the office for a few hours, Margaret finally has the chance to catch up on a few things, because when he's there she's constantly doing this and that for him. That man can really keep her busy during the workday. She spends most of the early afternoon completing the tasks he left for her from the few short hours he had been in the office this morning. After completing those, she quickly moves on to clearing out her in basket, catching up on email, reading and signing off on the numerous memo for records that are piled on her desk, straightening up her files, clearing off and reorganizing her desk.  
  
When she's satisfied that her area is in order, she moves on to Leo's office. She cleans up the mess he left behind, straightens up the piles of files on his desk that never seem to go away or shrink in size. She grabs his coffee cup and heads off to the kitchenette to clean it. When she gets back to his office, she looks around for more to clean and organize. It's been forever since she's been able to try to put his office back into shape.  
  
The last thing on her list to clean out is the small closet in the corner of his office. She opens the door and starts going though it. There really isn't much in there. There are some boxes of extra supplies that she keeps in there. Leo has a couple of personal boxes that she leaves alone. That just leaves his toiletries and garment bag. She opens his old leather toiletries bag and is surprised to find it to be well stocked. He has finally remembered to restock it after several notes left by her on the subject. She moves on to his garment bag and unzips it to check on his supply of extra clothes. When she opens it, his scent overwhelms the small closet, causing her to sigh as she breaths it in. She loves the smell of his cologne that he wears. She affectionately brushes her hand down the front of his double-breasted suit coat. Leo's handmade suits are cut from the finest materials, and she loves the way it feels against her hand. Her mind drifts as she imagines Leo being inside the suit as she gently caresses it. She sighs contentedly as she moves the suit out of the way to check if he has an extra shirt and tie. She pulls one of his shirtsleeves to her face and tenderly embraces it. She revels in the soft feel of it against her cheek. After a few seconds of daydreaming, she places the sleeve back inside the garment bag and as she runs her fingers down the shirt's sleeve to smooth it back into place, she discovers that a seam came unraveled. She pulls it back out and carefully inspects it and decides that it's something that even her minuscule sewing skills can easily repair. So she slips the shirt off its hanger and neatly folds it. She knows that if Leo finds the undone seam, he will just throw the shirt away and buy a new one. She shakes her head at the thought of how much money he spends as she walks back to her area and places his shirt inside her bag.  
  
Tuesday night DC:  
  
Margaret leaves the West Wing shortly after seven o'clock that cold winter's night, even though Leo told her to make sure that she was out of the office by five. She smiles to herself, as she thinks that he isn't the only workaholic in the office. She quickly departs the White House grounds by the Northwest egress and heads for the McPherson Square Metro station.  
  
Margaret arrives at her apartment a little after seven-thirty. It's still an early evening for her, compared to most. She removes her coat, lays down her bag on her hallway table and heads to the kitchen. She rummages though the freezer and finds something to throw into the microwave. Margaret then makes her way to her bedroom and changes into pair of Bartlet for America sweat pants and matching sweatshirt. By the time she's done changing her clothes her dinner is ready. She grabs it from the microwave, walks to her living room, sits down on her couch and turns on the TV. She watches CNN for a while, and then starts to flip though the channels. She pauses and laughs when she comes across the cooking show that Leo loves to watch. She just doesn't understand what Leo sees in that show, but she loves pulling his chain by referring to it as a soft porn show. She soon tires of the program, switches off the TV, picks up the book that she has been trying to read for weeks and heads off to her bedroom.  
  
Margaret reads for about a half an hour, but she can't seem to stay focused on what she's reading. All of a sudden she remembers that she bought had home Leo's shirt to mend. She puts down the book and goes to her hallway and grabs her bag. She pulls out Leo's shirt and is surprised to find that it isn't wrinkled. She caresses the shirt against her face and breaths in the scent of his cologne that it has picked up from hanging next to his suit in the garment bag. She stands there for a few seconds enjoys the feel of his shirt alongside her face. She can't help but wonder what it would feel like if she tried it on. Her face flushes at the thought of wearing Leo's shirt. She goes to her bedroom, removes her sweatshirt and slowly slips his shirt just over her shoulders. A shiver runs though her body. She gets even braver and decides to put it all the way on. She buttons up the shirt but leaves a couple of them undone at the top and then slides out of her sweatpants. Leo's shirt feels so good against her skin. She goes into the bathroom to look at herself in the mirror. She can't help but wonder if Leo would find her appealing like this. She goes back into her bedroom and lies down on her bed. She starts to romanticize that Leo's in bed with her and she soon gives into her desires and loses herself in one of her favorite fantasies.  
  
Tuesday night Chicago:  
  
After all those years on the lecture circuit, you'd think that Leo would be used to talking in front of a large audience and not be prone to amateur mistakes. But during his lengthy and heart felt introduction of Kenny, Leo gets a little sidetracked and introduces Kenny as 'the finest man that he has ever had the privilege to call his friend.' Man, this isn't going to go over well back at the White House. Jed is going to torment the crap out of him; he's sure of it. Leo had meant to say 'one of the finest,' but it's too late now. If he weren't the Chief of Staff, there wouldn't be so much press covering this event and it would be a non-story. But now, it's probably going to be one of the first questions that CJ gets in the morning press briefing. He needs to remember to call her after the event is over and give her a heads up.  
  
Other than Leo's misspeaking, the event turns out to be very nice. Leo really does have a good time. It's truly great to see Kenny and Sally again. He still can't believe that they're grandparents. Leo thinks about Mallory and wonders if she'll ever find that special someone, settle down and have a family. Leo actually has some time to spend with Kenny and Sally after the event is over. They sit in the hotel lobby catching up with each other lives. But before he knows it, Leo needs to leave and catch his plane. He hugs them goodbye and gets in his limo.  
  
The ride to O'Hare is uneventful. Leo is still in a fairly decent mood. He thinks about Kenny's invitation. He really would like to go to Hilton Head this summer and spend some time with Kenny and Sally, but he knows that the visit would be bitter sweet. Its times like these that Leo really misses being married and having someone to share things with. Maybe someday, his life will slow down and he'll find that special person to share his life with. Just as soon as this thought crosses his mind an image of a certain red head's face appears in his mind. He quickly closes his eyes and wills it to go away. He knows that this relationship can never be. He's sure that she doesn't feel the same way about him.  
  
Leo boards the plane and heads for his seat in first-class. He sits down and waits for take off. He almost wishes he had stayed overnight, because he's suddenly very tired. He smiles when he realizes that Margaret had been right, he should have stayed, but he's never going to admit that to her. The flight attendant brings him a pillow and blanket. Leo gets comfortable and to his surprise, he soon falls sound asleep.  
  
Leo has been asleep for about an hour, when he awakes with a start. He bolts upright in his seat and gasps for air. 'What the hell?' he thinks to himself as he tries to figure out where he's at.  
  
A flight attendant rushes to his side. "Are you okay Mr. McGarry?"  
  
"Yeah, um... I'm fine. I... must have been dreaming." He tells her. He starts to wake up more and becomes aware of a certain problem that has arisen. He's thankful for the blanket on his lap. He tries to control his breathing. "Could I have some water please?" He asks, trying to get her to leave his side. He watches her walk away and rearranges the blanket on him to better conceal his predicament. He sits there willing himself to calm down. The attendant comes back with his water. "Thank you," he says in a much calmer voice. "How much longer before we land?"  
  
"We're about forty-five minutes out, Sir."  
  
"Okay, thanks," he tells her, as he gives her a small grin. He doesn't need a concerned flight attendant hovering over him for the rest of the flight.  
  
Leo's finally starts to come down from his dream. It had been so intense, so real and yet so strange. After a couple more minutes, he thinks it safe for him to get up and he heads for the bathroom. When he gets there he immediately splashes water on his face and stares at himself in the mirror. The face looking back at him is haggard. He needs to get some rest, but he's afraid to try to sleep on the plane again. He doesn't want to take a chance of that dream recurring. He closes his eyes and images from the dream overwhelm his mind.  
  
Leo is in his hotel bed, and he's not alone. He's making love to someone. There is something very familiar about this person in bed with him, but it's dark in his room he can't make out her face. His hands are roaming her long slender body as he moves on top of her. She willingly opens for him and wraps her long legs around him as he crosses her threshold. They soon find a comfortable rhythm as they both moan with pleasure. They are close to the edge when a voice makes Leo jump off her and out of bed. "Leo, why must you keep your office so dark?" The President says, as he flips on a light. Leo looks around, and he finds himself in the middle of his office standing naked next to his hotel bed. The person on the bed giggles, and he looks at her. It's Margaret.  
  
Leo shakes his heads as he tries to clear it of those images. He opens his eyes and looks into the mirror again. That has to be one of the strangest dreams he's ever had. What was his bed doing in his office? He splashed more water on his face. "Get a grip McGarry, as if she'd ever have everything to do with an old man like you." He tells the face that's staring back at him from the mirror. He wipes his face and steadies himself against the sink. He takes a few deep breaths and then heads back to his seat.  
  
The dream won't leave his thoughts. What did Jed's presence in it mean? Was he afraid that if he were involved with Margaret that it would embarrass the President? He can't stop thinking about the feel of Margaret soft skin under his fingers. The way they fit together and her scent that was so sweet. He starts to get a problem again. 'Damnit, I need to stop thinking about this dream,' he thinks to himself, as he places the blanket back over his lap. He knows, from past thoughts like this about Margaret that there's really only one thing that is going to help him, but he can't do anything about it now. He'll have to wait until he gets back to his hotel tonight to be able relieve his situation. He sits back and tries to relax.  
  
"Mr. McGarry," the attendant says, as she lays a hand on his shoulder. "We're getting ready to land. You need to put you seat back up in an upright position."  
  
Leo rouses from a light sleep. He can't believe he fell asleep again. He adjusts his seat and notices that he no longer has a problem. He removes the blanket and adjusts his tie. As soon as the airplane stops, he gets up and heads for the door. He's in a hurry to get back to his hotel. He exits the plane and finds a Secret Service Agent waiting for him.  
  
"Mr. McGarry," the familiar agent says, as he walks up to him.  
  
"Yeah," he cautiously answers. 'Doesn't look like I will be heading back to my hotel tonight' he thinks to himself.  
  
"You're needed at the White House, Sir."  
  
Leo's first thought is that something is wrong with the President, but before he can even voice his concern the agent informs him he's needed in the Situation Room. Leo breathes a sigh of temporary relief and follows the agent to his service car.  
  
Wednesday Morning DC:  
  
Margaret awakes the next morning at the sound of the alarm going off, she's somewhat disoriented at first. Then the memory of last night comes rushing back. She jumps up out of bed when she realizes that she slept in Leo's shirt. She swiftly takes it off and looks at the shirt that is now full of wrinkles. "Damnit," she softly curses. She decides that she will just have to deal with it tonight after work. She heads to the bathroom to grab a quick shower. As she's putting on makeup and getting ready for work, she prays that Leo doesn't spill anything on himself today at work.  
  
Margaret arrives at work at her normal starting time and finds the office just as she had left it yesterday evening. Lights off, doors closed and totally organized. She smiles at the fact that she actually beat Leo into work today, a feat that is getting harder and harder these past few months. The long hours were starting to really take their toll on him. He's losing weight and looks haggard most of the time. Margaret really is starting to worry about him, even more than she usually does. So she was really glad that the trip to Chicago came along. Hopefully seeing his old friend has put him in a better mood.  
  
Margaret enters her office, turns on her light and opens Leo's door. She stops short in her tracks when she realizes that Leo's in his office.  
  
"You're already here?" She's unable to hide her discontent.  
  
"Came in straight from Dulles." He informs her.  
  
"At *two* in the morning?" She says in an astonished voice.  
  
"I need a clean shirt." He says, as walks from behind his desk. "What happened to the one I bought in the other day?"  
  
Margaret's heart skips a beat. "It had a hole in it, so I took it home." She blurts out, as she watches him walk out of his office.  
  
"To do what with it?" He questions her, as he heads for her desk.  
  
"Sew up the hole." She innocently offers, as she follows him and stands beside him at her desk.  
  
"Now you're mending my clothes?" He smirks, as he's rifling though some files on the corner of her desk.  
  
"You want breakfast?" She tries to change the subject.  
  
"I want a clean shirt." He says in his gravelly voice.  
  
Before he can say anything else about her taking his shirt home, Josh walks into her area and Leo turns his attention to him. Then Leo gets a call from the Situation Room, and he's gone. Margaret takes her overcoat off and hangs it on her coat tree. She goes back to her desk and sits down in her chair and breathes a sigh of relief. She hopes that when Leo comes back to the office, that he doesn't say anymore about his shirt. She never planned on him finding out about her taking it home with her. If she hadn't of put the *damn* thing on last night she wouldn't be in this mess, she thinks to herself.  
  
Leo really didn't want to have to go back down to the Situation Room right now, he would prefer to stay in his office and torment Margaret about his shirt or even eat the breakfast that she offered to get him, because either one of those things would be so much more fun than going back down to the Situation Room. Since his visit to the Situation Room this morning it was getting more difficult to suppress his own memories of when he was on the ground in enemy territory. He heads off down the hallway and down to the stairs that would lead him to the room where he will privately battle his own demons again.  
  
Leo walks into his office from the hallway door. He's been down in the Situation Room for the past hour and a half. "Margaret," Leo yells, as he goes to his desk and looks for messages.  
  
Margaret walks into the office and says, "Yes, Leo."  
  
"Could you run over to my hotel and get me a change of clothes since you decided to play little Miss Mary Homemaker and sew up my shirt?" Leo smirks, as he sits down in his chair.  
  
"Leo, I already did," she sighs, as she walks over to his closet and opens the door to reveal a fresh suit and shirt hanging there.  
  
"Thanks," Leo says, as he gets up and heads for his closet.  
  
"I'm sorry about the shirt, its... well... I know you, if you would have found it you would have thrown it away."  
  
"Yeah," he replies, as he rolls his eyes. "I probably would have."  
  
"See, I still say you spend way too much money," she smirks, as she turns quickly and leaves his office.  
  
Leo grabs his clothes from the closet and heads out thought Margaret's area. "Margaret, I'll be back in a few, I'm going to shower and change."  
  
Leo hangs up his suit in the locker room. When he does this he gets a whiff of Margaret's perfume. He loves that her scent has mingled with his clothes. He takes a second to breath in her scent and then he undresses and heads for the shower stall. The smell of Margaret's perfume and the fact that she has touched his clothes sends his mind into overdrive. Images from the dream, he had on the plane, come rushing back. He curses to himself as has problem shows up again. He's getting really bad about this lately. He wishes that he weren't at the White House, so that he could alleviate his condition. He stands there for a few seconds under the warm spray of the shower enjoying the sensation in his lower region. Then he remembers the downed crew and the rescue mission. He feels terribly guilty that he's let personal thoughts and pleasure interfere with work. He realizes that there is only one thing to do. He shakes his head at what is about to do and waits in anticipation as he reaches for the knob. He twists it hard and fast. Knowing that it'll be over soon. "Damnit," he cries out, as the now icy cold water from the shower hits his body and causes his problem to quickly deflate on its own.  
  
Leo spends most of Wednesday morning in and out of the Situation Room. Margaret detests that there's a need for that room, and she hates what it does to Leo. She worries that he loses a small piece of himself each time he has to go there and deal with some crises. She knows that something dire is brewing, but as usual, Margaret doesn't have a clue as to what's going on. She's afraid that whatever's happening is going to cause Leo personal grief. Leo's been very quiet and somber this morning and his eyes seem dark and troubled. Margaret's caught him a couple of times just sitting in his chair, lost in thought and staring out his window behind his desk.  
  
When Josh comes back from his meeting with Senator Hunt, Leo gets very upset with what transpired in Josh's meeting. Margaret's sitting at her desk, but is able to hear everything that's going on inside Leo's office since Leo's so disturbed. Leo angrily calls for Margaret. He tells her to call the senator and tell him he's on his way over to his office now. After she gets off the phone, Margaret overhears Leo tell Josh that he's not going to impede anything and that he would take care of it now. Leo's standing in Margaret's area when Josh asks whether he served with the senator in the war. Leo tells him no and that in was a big war. Leo walks out of the office in a huff and leaves a bewildered Josh standing there.  
  
Josh walks out of Leo's office and stops by Margaret's desk. "How's he been today?" He asks.  
  
Margaret looks up at Josh and shakes her head. "Not good," she says, as her hands fidget on her desk. "Josh... um... nothing."  
  
"What?" He requests.  
  
"I know I shouldn't ask," she says in a worried voice, "but what's going on with him?"  
  
"I'm not really sure," Josh admits, as he picks at the corner of her desk. Josh is troubled about Leo too, only for different reasons. Josh is mostly concerned about Leo's career and Margaret's worried about the man.  
  
"He's been... a darker shade of gray since getting back from the Situation Room this morning." She informs him, as her nervous hands straighten some files on her desk. "I've caught him, in a trance like state, staring out his window a couple of times today." She confides, as she stills her hands and glances up at Josh. "I had to call his name a couple of times to get his attention. It was as though he wasn't even in the same room with me."  
  
"Yeah," Josh says, as he lowers his eyes. "He was like that when I walked into his office." Josh raises his eyes back up to Margaret. "I think... he was experiencing a flashback."  
  
"Damnit," Margaret says, as her face contorts. Why didn't she see it? Of course, that's what's been going on with him. It's been years since she's seen Leo like this. Why didn't she see it before this? What's clouding her judgment about Leo lately? Then it dawns on her, the last time that Leo was having flashbacks. She hadn't been in love with him. Her stomach turns nervously at the thought that he might be having flashbacks again.  
  
"Margaret, are you okay?" Josh asks.  
  
"Um... yeah. I'm fine." She tells her boss's deputy.  
  
Josh can't help but smile at Margaret's use of one of Leo's patented lines. "Okay, keep an eye on him, okay?"  
  
Margaret bobs her head. "Don't I always?"  
  
"Yeah... yeah you do." Josh softly says, as he walks away from her desk and heads off for the bullpen. He needs to gather some more information surrounding the Ramses contract.  
  
Wednesday Afternoon DC:  
  
When Leo gets back from his meeting with Senator Hunt, Margaret can tell that he's furious. He storms into his office and immediately yells, "Margaret!"  
  
Margaret scurries from behind her desk, grabs her notebook and Leo's phone messages, and then practically runs into Leo's office. "Yes, Sir." She says deciding that now's not the time to be anything but proper. She'll have to work extra hard at keeping her quirkiness at bay. She doesn't want to upset him anymore than he already is. She walks over and lays his messages on his desk, where Leo's sitting, and takes a discreet step back.  
  
Leo looks at the pile of messages on his desk and throws his hands up in disgust. "Did I ask you for my messages?" He bellows.  
  
Margaret shakes her head and utters a soft, "no," as she takes a step towards his desk and starts to reach for them.  
  
Leo waves her off. "Leave'em," he huffs, as he gets up and slams the palm of his hand onto his desk with a vengeance, the sound of flesh hitting wood echoes through his office.  
  
Margaret physically flinches and lets out a stifled gasp, as she takes another step back. It's been years since she's seen Leo this upset, and then he was usually drunk. "Leo," she says, as she bites her bottom lip. "You need to calm down." She softly tells him.  
  
"I'm perfectly calm." He shouts back at her. "Why does everyone keep telling me to calm down today?" He questions, as he runs his hand through his hair.  
  
"Leo," she offers quietly, afraid to try and get him back on track. "Did you umm... need something?"  
  
"I called you in here didn't, so I guess I musta needed something, don't ya think." He fumes, as he drops back down into his chair.  
  
Margaret timidly bobs her head. Deciding that speaking is not going to help the situation and it will probably give away her emotional state, too. She can feel a tear start to build up in her right eye. She slightly tilts her head back and quietly sniffs to keep it from flowing from her eye. She can't believe that he can get her this unsettled so quickly after all they've been through. Leo's coming apart at the seams right in front of her. She sniffs again, only this time Leo hears it and he quickly whips his eyes to hers. She swiftly turns and leaves his office as fast as her high heels will let her.  
  
Rolling his eyes, Leo growls. "Oh, for the love of..." Leo stands up and calls after her, "Margaret!" Leo walks from behind his desk and out into Margaret's area. She's nowhere in sight, so he turns and goes back to his office. He walks behind his desk and sits down. He finally starts to compose himself and realizes that he has just been a real SOB to Margaret. The one person who's never left his side through all his crap. The one person he can't survive without. The one person he lov.... His heart sinks as he recalls the look on Margaret's face. He hasn't seen that anxious look from her in years, not since... not since he was... drinking. "Shit!" Leo crossly breathes out between clinched teeth. "Damnit to hell!" He shouts, as his outburst continues. He slams a hand onto his desk, then whips his chair around and faces the window. He closes his eyes and rubs his aching head with both hands.  
  
Margaret leaves Leo's office and heads straight for the bathroom. She needs to get her emotions under control. She hates letting anyone see her cry, especially Leo. She hides in a bathroom stall for a few minutes, while she puts herself back together. She still can't believe how she lost control of her emotions. It had to be the shock of seeing Leo act like that. She hasn't witnessed one of those in years. His outbreaks in the past were due to his drinking problem and they would more than likely occur the day after an all night bender. Leo's actions today, brought back some terrible memories for Margaret. Memories, she would rather forget about.  
  
Margaret's stomach growls as she looks at her watch and discovers that it's two o'clock already. She hasn't had a chance to have lunch yet and she knows that Leo didn't stop on his way back from Senator Hunt's office to get something to eat, either. She often speculates that Leo might starve if she ever actually got to take a whole week off. She walks over to the row of sinks and looks at herself in the mirror. She splashes some water on her face and pats it dry. It's a good thing that she doesn't wear a lot of makeup, because if she did, her face would be a complete mess right now. The redness around her eyes is almost gone, so she deems herself ready and heads off to the mess.  
  
Since it's past the normal lunchtime, the mess is nearly empty. Margaret grabs a tray and walks to the food line. She picks up two turkey sandwiches, two yogurts, two apples and two sodas. She heads for the register but stops when she passes the candy area. She decides that she could use some chocolate after the day she's had. She pays for the items and then heads back up to the office. She stops by her desk and grabs a couple of aspirins for Leo. She figures that he probably has a headache after his fit of temper. She peeks her head into Leo's office and sees that he's in his chair, behind his desk, facing the window again. She silently makes her way across to his couch and sets the tray down on the coffee table.  
  
Leo's staring out the window and trying to figure out a way to apologize to Margaret, when he senses that she's in his office. He slowly turns his chair around to face her. He almost smiles when he sees that she's brought him food. His assistant is always hell bent on him eating and taking better care of himself. He waits for her to realize that he's aware that she's there. When she finally looks at him he sighs, "Ya know," Leo pauses to take a deep breathe, "I'm not drinking again." He explains with a tender voice.  
  
"I know that," Margaret softly replies, as she sits down on his couch. "It was just... that... well it reminded me of some of the times... when you were..." She reluctantly divulges, as she lowers her eyes and stares at her hands that are uncharacteristically still on her lap.  
  
"Yeah, me too," Leo sorrowfully agrees, as he gets up from his chair and gradually moves over to the couch. He sits down beside her and lays a compassionate hand on hers. "I'm sorry about earlier," he pauses, as he looks off to his left and then back at her. "Its just... that.... well I... there's really no excuse for me treating you like that. I'm truly very sorry." Leo's voice is raw with emotion, as he gazes at her, his eyes pleading for forgiveness.  
  
Margaret raises her eyes to meet his. She sees so much pain and anguish in his hazel eyes. She wishes that she could make it all go away, but she doesn't even know where to begin or what's going on with him, lately. She knows that something's going on with the company, Mueller-Wright that he used to work for, but that was way before the time that she started working for him at the Labor Department. She decides now it not the time to try to get him to talk about it. 'Like he would talk with her anyway,' she thinks to herself. She forgivingly bobs her head in acknowledgement of his apology. She decides to leave it alone for now. "I brought us some lunch," she cheerfully tells him.  
  
"I can see that," Leo tells her, as he regrettably removes his hand from hers. He instantly misses the softness of her hand and the way it makes him feel inside when he touches her.  
  
"You don't eat enough," she enlightens him, as she starts dividing up the food and drinks on the tray.  
  
"I think I've heard that before somewhere," he chortles, as he gives her one of his best impish grins. He really enjoys the fact that she loves taking care of him.  
  
"Whoever said it, must be very intelligent," she smirks, as she takes a bite out of her sandwich.  
  
"I like to think so," he admits to her, as he opens his soda and inwardly grins at the fact that she got him one. Normally, she tries to get him to drink something healthier. He picks up his apple and scrunches his face up at it. "This doesn't look like the normal type of chips I like to have with my sandwich." He tells her, as he rolls it around in his hand.  
  
"Really?" she smirks. "Sorry, my mistake. But... since you've touched it, I can't take it back, so you might as well eat it." She teases him, as she opens her yogurt and stirs it.  
  
"Okay," Leo says, as he flashes her a grin right before he takes a bite of his apple. He still feels bad that he yelled at her earlier, but he's happy that she's forgiven him. He enjoys it when they get a chance to eat together or share some time alone. Most of the time, she's already eaten by the time he finally gets around to it or should he say by the time Margaret forces him to eat.  
  
Margaret smiles back at Leo's grin. That grin, she thinks that it could melt butter, because it sure does make her melt. She loves being able to spend some quiet time with him. It's so rare, anymore, that they get a chance to sit down and eat together. She reaches for her apple and sees the aspirin on the tray. "Leo, I thought you might have a headache, so I brought you some aspirin," she informs him, as she picks it up and offers it to him.  
  
"I did earlier," he concedes, as he waves off her offer. "But, it seems better now." He wants to tell her that just her presence alone has made him feel much better, but he's too afraid to.  
  
"Okay," she tells him, as she puts the aspirin back on the tray and picks up her candy bar.  
  
Leo notices that she has a candy bar. "Hey, where's mine?" He asks, as he gives her his best pouty face.  
  
Margaret smirks at Leo's puppy dog face. She realizes he must really feel bad about earlier to be this jovially with her now. "Stop pouting, I'll share." She informs him, as she opens the bar and breaks it into two pieces and hands him one. "Here, you can even have the bigger half. I need to watch my weight."  
  
Leo takes the candy from her and frowns. "You don't need to lose any weight." He lets slip from his mouth before he can stop it. He face lightly flushes at his bold statement. He's never made a personal comment like that to her before now.  
  
Margaret blushes at his statement. "Thank you, Leo." She tells him, as she takes a bite from her half of the candy bar.  
  
"Um... yeah... well... thanks for the candy," he says, as he takes a bite of his half. He quickly changes the subject. "This is one of my favorites."  
  
"Great minds think alike," she says between bites of sweet milk chocolate. "Because, it's one of favorites, too." She can't help but wish that he also felt the same way about her as she does about him.  
  
"Yes, they do," he confirms. He wishes that she thought of him the same way that he thinks of her.  
  
Margaret finishes off her candy bar and starts to clean up their mess from their late lunch. "Well, I'd better get back to work."  
  
"Yeah, I hear your boss is a real pain to work for," he chuckles, as he wipes off some chocolate from his mouth.  
  
"Sometimes," she relents. "But, sometimes he can be really sweet too." She says, as she lays a gentle hand on his leg.  
  
Leo places a hand on top of hers and gets her attention with his eyes. "About earlier, I really am sorry." He expresses heartfelt regret again. His heart beats a little faster at the feel of her soft skin under his hand.  
  
"I know you are," she sweetly replies, as shiver runs up her leg from his light touch. She slowly removes her hand from his leg, stands up and then picks up the tray. "Did you get a chance to look at your messages?"  
  
"No, I haven't," Leo says, as he stands and walks over to his desk. "I'll look at them now."  
  
Margaret moves across the room and then stops in the doorway and turns to him. "Do you want to go through your correspondence after you return your calls?" She asks him.  
  
"Yeah, that'll be fine," he says, as he picks up the stack of messages on his desk. "Margaret, thanks for lunch."  
  
"You're welcome," she says, as she turns and leaves his office. She inwardly smiles to herself. She's gotten a couple of 'I'm sorrys' and a couple of 'thank yous' from Leo today. It's been a banner day so far, now if he would just utter those three little words she longs to hear from him.  
  
Thursday Morning DC:  
  
Leo blankly stares into the abandoned space where the President had been standing only a moment ago. After a few seconds he drops his eyes and slowly descends into his chair. He moves some papers around on his desk trying to get back into the flow of what he was doing before the President came in to see him. After a few moments, Leo gives up on trying to get any work done and swivels his chair around until he's glaring out into the courtyard from his office window. He brings his hand to his chin and contemplates what he has just informed the President that he was willing to do.  
  
Jed Bartlet and Kenny O'Neal were the two people that Leo owed his life to. Both of them had saved him from certain death. One of them picked him up off a motel parking lot, and the other carried him though a Vietnam jungle to safety. He has known both of these men for years and would gladly lay down his own life for either one of them. Neither one of them has ever abandoned him, but now here he is thinking about deserting one for the sake of the other.  
  
Leo has attempted to resign twice before for the sake of saving Jed Bartlet from embarrassment and scandal. The first time happened after Leo fell off the wagon in Saint Louis, on the night of the last debate, during the first campaign. The second time occurred after the press got a hold of his records from rehab for his treatment of alcohol and drug abuse. Jed refused to allow his resignation either time. But, this time it would be different. Leo knows that if he goes though with his plan to testify on behalf of Kenny, there will be no turning back and this time the President will be forced to accept his resignation.  
  
A shiver of guilt runs though Leo's body at the realization that he's very willing to give up the job that he loves so much and was born to do, for a friend. But, he never considered or offered to resign to save his marriage of over thirty years. Now, he's willing to sacrifice himself and his job again, with no questions asked, for one of his two best friends, but he wouldn't and couldn't do that for Jenny.  
  
Thursday late afternoon DC:  
  
Senator Hunt has just left Josh's office. Josh quickly gets up and heads for Leo's office. He needs to tell Leo what he's just found out about Leo's friend, Kenny. Josh enters Margaret's area. "Where is he?"  
  
"Out of the building." Margaret tells him without looking away from her computer scene.  
  
Josh continues on into Leo's office as he asks, "where out of the building?" He stops, turns around in Leo's doorway and waits for an answer.  
  
"Ken O'Neal called him, Leo went to meet him," she tells him.  
  
Josh walks to the side of her desk. "Did he take his cell phone?"  
  
Margaret gives Josh a look of disbelief. "Have you ever know Leo *not* to take his cell phone with him when he leaves this place?"  
  
"Margaret, it's important," Josh hisses.  
  
"Yes, he has his cell phone," she relents, as she finally stops typing and looks up at him. She realizes by the desperate look on Josh's face, that something serious has happened. "Josh, what's going on?"  
  
"I need to talk with Leo. I need to... umm... tell him..." Josh doesn't finish. He pulls his cell phone out of his suit coat pocket, presses the speed dial button for Leo's cell phone and heads off to his office.  
  
"Josh!" Margaret calls after him.  
  
Leo is still standing near the frozen water's edge of the Tidal Basin, staring at the Jefferson Memorial. He hasn't moved from this spot since Kenny walked away from him. This memorial is one of Leo's favorite places in DC, but now it's been tarnished with Kenny's confession of wrongdoing. He'll never be able to come here again, to gaze upon one of his beloved heroes, and not be reminded of how one of his biggest heroes fell. Leo slowly turns and walks over to the cold bench that they had been sitting on earlier and takes a seat. He still can't believe what he's just been told. Jed had once told him, years ago, that 'you put a lot of faith in people' and that he didn't want to see Leo get hurt because of it. Just like before, someone who he trusts has disappointed and hurt him. It had all came down to a matter of money, not right or wrong, but just money.  
  
Leo has been sitting on the bench for a long while now and has lost all track of time. His body is chilled to the bone, but he has no desire to move. His mind keeps replaying the same scene over and over in his head. The cell phone in his pocket rang several times, but he's ignored it. He just keeps staring at the Jefferson Monument like he's waiting for some divine intervention.  
  
Leo's Secret Service agent walks up to him. The agent has just conferred with Ron Butterfield. Ron instructed him to get Leo out of the Arctic cold temperatures and into his service car. Leo's agent had called Ron because he was concerned about Leo. Since the agent is relatively new to the White House detail, he wasn't sure of his responsibility in this type of situation. There's no real immanent threat to his protectee, but it's just too damn cold for Leo to be sitting out here for this length of a time. Even though the agent has only been assigned to Leo a few times, he's already grown to respect and like the man.  
  
"Sir," the agent says, as he waits for Leo to realize he's there. When Leo doesn't acknowledge his presence, he tries again. "Sir."  
  
The young agent's voice finally cuts through the haze that surrounds Leo, and he finally responds, "Yeah."  
  
"Sir... it's really too cold for you out here." The agent reverentially informs him. "Are you ready to leave, Sir?" The young agent inquires as he takes a step closer to the bench.  
  
Leo looks up at his agent, nods his head and starts to stand. His right leg gives out from under him, and he starts to go down, but the quick thinking agent grabs a hold of him and helps him to his feet.  
  
"Mr. McGarry, are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah... I'm fine. I... was just ...umm... sitting too long, I guess... it's okay now." Leo exclaims, as he halfheartedly tries to pull from the agents strong grasp, but the agent holds tight.  
  
Leo starts to slowly walk towards the car. The agent holds onto Leo's arm for the first few steps, until the agent's sure that his protectee is capable of walking on his own. The agent finally drops Leo's arm, but stays close by his side. He notices that Leo's normal intermittent limp has turned constant. The agent whispers into his wrist mic and informs the driver that they are on their way to the car. Leo's service car is parked out on West Basin Drive and is a little over a hundred yards away. The agent looks at Leo's face and is stunned by the look of despondency on it. The agent wishes that the car were parked closer.  
  
"Mr. McGarry, do you want to go back to your hotel?" His concerned agent asks, as he slows his pace down even more.  
  
"Naah... just take me back to the White House. I... there's... things that need to be done. I really shouldn't have... left... I need to get back down to the Situation Room." Leo slowly breathes out. Leo looks at the agent walking next to him. "Could you find out the location of the President?" Leo mentally kicks himself for forgetting about the rescue mission for the downed crew in North Korea.  
  
His agent speaks into his mic then listens to his earpiece. "Mr. McGarry, the President is in the Oval."  
  
"Okay, thanks," he tells his agent. They are finally at the car, and the agent opens the door for him. The agent notices Leo's face contorts in pain, as he drags his right leg behind him when he gets into the back seat of the car.  
  
"Mr. McGarry, are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"Yeah, it's... it's just an old... um... football injury, and it just acts up from time to time." Leo lies to his agent.  
  
The agent nods his head. He doesn't buy Leo's story, but he doesn't question him. He closes the door and then speaks into his mike, "Thunderchief is in route to the White House."  
  
Jed is waiting in the Oval Office for Leo's return. He positions himself in the middle of the room, so that he can see when Leo gets back. Ron called and told him that Leo was on his way back to the White House. Jed had started looking for Leo after he didn't show up in the Situation Room for the end of the downed crew's rescue mission. Leo's always there by his side in the Situation Room. The General Alexander was surprised by Leo's absence, too. Jed thinks back to their conversation down in the Situation Room a couple of hours ago.  
  
****************************************  
  
"Mr. President, is Leo okay?" The General asks. He's aware that Leo had been shot down in Vietnam and has noticed that the last couple of times that Leo has been in the Situation Room that he's been very quiet and distracted.  
  
"Yeah," the President pauses as he thinks about what's been going on with Leo for the past couple of days. "I think so."  
  
"I'm just surprised that he's not here." The General has never seen the President in the Situation Room without Leo.  
  
"Yeah, me too." The President agrees.  
  
"Do you think he might be having flashbacks?" The General asks, because he knows that the current situation is similar to what Leo went though.  
  
"How did you know about this?" the President asks.  
  
"Fitz and I had a long talk before he retired. He filled me in on some details that he thought I should to know. Mostly, he told me how to handle the two of you. But, he did mention that Leo had been in Vietnam and well... I got curious about Leo's war experience and looked at his service record."  
  
"I'm really not sure how this is affecting Leo. He's been distant because of another situation." The President confesses. He's not sure how Leo has been dealing with the downed pilots. He mentally kicks himself for being so wrapped up in the testifying thing that he never even considered what Leo has been going through. He needs to talk with Margaret. She would most certainly know if he was having flashbacks, nothing gets by her when it comes to Leo.  
  
"I'd bet this would be hitting pretty close to home with him." The General suggests.  
  
"Yeah, it could be. I need to get back to the Oval." The President turns and starts to walk out of the room.  
  
"Mr. President, if Leo is having problems... he could probably use some professional help. Let me know if that's the case, because I know someone who specifically deals with these problems."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind," the President pauses. "But, you don't know Leo, he doesn't ask people for help or like it when you offer either." The President turns and walks out of the room. He needs to call Ron and find out where Leo is.  
  
****************************************  
  
Leo slowly limps to his office. His leg is really bothering him. He wonders if maybe some of the pain is just in his head. Because, all he's thought about these last couple of days is the memory of being dragged through the jungle. Even though he was delirious, from his broken leg and blood loss, for most of those three days, he still vividly remembers the overbearing pain.  
  
Leo stops in his office doorway off of the hallway. He glances across the room at his desk. It seems so far away, and it has piles of folders on it. He has no desire to work, and he's not even sure he can make the trek across the room. He's drained from the pain in his leg and his heavy heart. He heads for the nearest chair in the room and he wearily slumps into it and despairingly stares out his office window at the orange sunset.  
  
Jed watches, from the Oval, as Leo limps back into his office and collapses into his chair. Jed gives Leo a couple of minutes to settle, and then he hurries to his side. Jed is shocked by Leo's physical appearance, but is even more shaken by the fact that Leo didn't even attempt to stand up when he walked into the room. Not that Jed cares. It just means that Leo's in really terrible shape if he doesn't follow protocol.  
  
Thursday early evening DC:  
  
Margaret stands in the doorway of Leo's office and watches him talk with the President. She knows that she shouldn't eavesdrop on them, but she can't help herself. Leo has been sitting in that chair since he got back from meeting with Kenny. He had slowly limped into his office from the hallway door and sat down without even taking his coat off. She wouldn't have known he was back if she hadn't had been standing by her bookcase when he got back. When she first saw him she was about to give him his messages, but she saw the lost look on his face and knew she should just leave him alone. She was hovering by the door, trying to figure out what to do, when she saw the President walk though the connecting door. Margaret was shocked by what she didn't see next. Leo noticed the President there and didn't even offer to stand. He must be devastated for him to ignore the protocol that he normally thrives on.  
  
She only overhears a few of Leo's words. He's softly speaking. She hears him tell the President that Kenny did it. Then something about three days and he was delirious from all the blood he lost. Margaret breath hitches in her chest when Leo says this. She never has heard Leo talk about his war injury before. She leans in closer trying to catch more. Leo tells the President that he never left him, but he should have left him. Then Leo breaks down and sobs. Margaret had to grip the doorway to keep herself from rushing to his side and grabbing a hold of him. The tears that she was holding inside now make their way down her face. When would this man ever catch a break? She doesn't catch the rest of what Leo says but hears the President tell him that he has more that his share to honor their sacrifice and that he's proud to know him. 'Damn straight' Margaret thinks to herself. She watches the President leave Leo's side and walk back into the Oval Office.  
  
Leo sinks further back into his chair and stares off into the distance. Margaret's unsure of what to do. Should she act as if she isn't aware of what's going on and bound into his office with his messages? Or go to his side and try to comfort him? Oh, how she wants to comfort him. But, she's only his assistant, no matter how much she wishes that there were more between them, there never will or can be. She knows that, but isn't sure if she can accept that anymore. Should she try? How would he react?  
  
Leo turns his head slightly and notices a shadow at the door. He slowly focuses his eyes and discovers that Margaret's hovering there. Tears are flowing freely down her face. She quickly turns to leave when Leo's eyes meet hers. "Margaret?" He softly murmurs.  
  
Margaret stops and slowly turns around, but doesn't move towards his office. "Yes, Sir," she quietly replies, as she wrings her hands.  
  
"Did you need me?" Leo's voice quivers.  
  
"No, Leo," she whispers, "at least not for anything work related." She adds, as an afterthought without really thinking. A look a sheer panic crosses her face when she realizes that she just said that last part out loud. She quickly heads for her coat tree. She needs to get out of there now.  
  
It takes a second for Margaret's words to make it though the fog he that surrounds him. He pushes himself up and out of the chair. Then he starts towards her, momentarily forgetting about the pain in his leg. "Margaret?" She has her coat on by the time he reaches her. He reaches for her arm to stop her from leaving. "Margaret." He repeats, as he tries to get her to look at him.  
  
Margaret's face is flushed, and the tears are streaming down her face. "Leo," she sobs, "I'm sorry... I have to go." She pulls her arm from his grasp and runs from the office.  
  
Leo stands in the doorway and watches her run down the hall. Tears are threatening to flow from his eyes as he turns to go back into his office. He doesn't know what to think about what just happened. What did Margaret mean when she said that? He thinks about yesterday, when she blushed when he found out that she had taken his shirt home to mend. He starts remembering some of the many the acts of kindness and how she has taken care of him these past few years. She was constantly on him to eat, get more sleep, and lately to stop smoking again. She nags him more than Jenny ever did. But then again, she takes better care of him than Jenny ever did, too. What did this all mean? How does he really feel about her? He's sure doesn't like the feeling he still has in the pit of his stomach from when she ran out of here. He picks up the phone on his desk and calls for his driver.  
  
Margaret goes straight to her apartment after she ran out of the White House. She really has nowhere else to go. When she gets inside her apartment, the tears are falling down her face as she quickly runs to her bed and falls onto it. She can't believe she just said that to Leo. Especially now, he doesn't need his quirky assistant fawning all over him when he's in so much pain. She continues to berate herself as she sobs uncontrollably into her pillow.  
  
She hasn't been home for very long before her practical side takes over. She gets up and takes off her work clothes. She figures there's no reason to get them all wrinkled. She hangs them up in her closet and then goes over to her chair to get her sweatpants. She notices Leo's shirt lying there. She picks it up and breathes in his cologne. She puts it on and wraps her arms around herself and feels the softness of his shirt. She starts to cry again when she realizes that she will never hold this shirt with him inside it. She plummets back onto her bed and starts to cry hysterically again.  
  
Leo has no idea where Margaret lives and has to look up her address in her personnel file. He leaves the White House and heads for his service car. He hands the address to his driver and sits back and wonders why he's following her. He spends the entire ride over to her place in a daze. His mind wonders between what he has learned today about his good friend and what Margaret said to him earlier in his office. He's not really sure why he's even going to Margaret's or what he's going to say to her when he sees her. All he knows is that he needs to make sure that she's okay.  
  
When his service car arrives to her apartment, Leo's shocked at the poor condition of her apartment building and its surrounding neighborhood. Leo tells his driver to leave even though he's not sure that she's there or if she'll even let him into her apartment. Leo has an uneasiness in his stomach as he gets out of the car and stands in front of her building for a few seconds in the cold and speculates if he's doing the right thing. Finally, the question of her safety outweighs his doubts and he makes his way up the steps and into the building.  
  
Leo finds her apartment on the third floor and knocks on the door. He waits a few seconds and knocks again. Leo starts to get a little bit concerned. He was sure that she would come straight home since she was so upset when she ran from him. He knocks on the door again, still no answer. He gets desperate and reaches for the doorknob and turns it slowly. It's not locked, and the door opens. "Margaret," he calls out, as he enters her apartment and then closes the door. No one answers, but he thinks he hears muffled crying from across the room. "Margaret," he calls again, as he makes his way across her living room and towards what he assumes is her bedroom. The closer he gets to her closed bedroom door the more nervous he becomes, because he knows that he has stepped over the line by entering her apartment uninvited.  
  
Leo stops at her closed bedroom door. "Margaret," he calls again, but still no answer. He hesitates and thinks about turning around and fleeing her apartment, but he doesn't. He raises his hand to knock on her door. His hands hovers there and then he knocks. "Margaret," he says in a soft voice.  
  
Margaret raises her head off her tear soaked pillow. At first, she thinks that she's just hearing things. She swears that she just heard Leo call her name, but she decides that it's wishful thinking. The only time Margaret ever hears Leo articulate her name is when he wants something and then he bellows it. She lays her head back down on her pillow. After a few seconds, she thinks she hears her name again. Then she hears a knock, at first she's sure that it's coming from her apartment door, but then she realizes it isn't when she hears Leo's voice. He's inside her apartment. She hastily sits up and looks at her doorway. "Leo," she screeches, as she jumps up off her bed.  
  
"Yeah," he replies with a heavy sigh. "Margaret, I... need to talk with you." He weakly admits.  
  
Margaret's so shocked that he's here inside her apartment. She quickly makes her way to the door and pulls it open. "How did you get in here?"  
  
"Margaret, your door was unlocked. I... umm... let myself in, I'm sorry I shouldn't..." he starts to say but then stops at the sight of her in his shirt and her bare legs. He can't stop his eyes from looking at her long legs. They have a mind of their own as they follow his shirttail downward to the top of her feet. He quickly regains control and pulls his eyes back up to her face. Leo's about ready to turn around and run from her apartment, but finds the strength to stay. "I wanted to make sure you were okay." He relents.  
  
"Oh," she breathes out, as she follows the path of Leo's eyes and realizes that all she has on is his shirt. With a quick intake of breath, she quickly shuts the door in Leo's face. "Oh my God," she squeaks, as she stands on the other side of the closed bedroom door. Her whole body quivers.  
  
It's a good thing that Leo hadn't stepped into the doorway or he would have gotten nailed by the door. "Margaret, open the door."  
  
"Leo, please go away," she pleads between her sobs.  
  
"No, not until I talk to you," he insists, leaning a hand on the doorframe. "Please, talk to me." He pleads with her.  
  
Margaret's surprised at the softness of Leo's voice. She starts to feel even worse about everything when she remembers how distraught Leo was earlier in his office tonight. He doesn't need any more pain or suffering. She has tried for years to shield him, and now here she's adding to his anguish. "Okay, just a second," she softly relents. She looks down at the shirt that she's wearing and shakes her head as she removes it. She quickly goes to her chair and picks up her sweatpants and sweatshirt and hurriedly dresses. She walks over to the door, takes a deep breath, and then timidly opens it.  
  
As soon as the door starts to open, Leo takes a step back. Margaret's tear stained face appears in the doorway and her swollen eyes and blotchy cheeks take Leo aback. He notices that she has abandoned his shirt.  
  
"Margaret," he says, as he takes a step towards her then hesitates, "I... umm are you okay?" He asks gently in an effort to calm her.  
  
Margaret gives him a sorrowful look and bobs her head.  
  
"Margaret, about what you said in the office tonight..." Leo puts a hand in his pocket, glances off to his left and then back at her.  
  
"I'm sorry," she murmurs, as he watches her drop her eyes away from his. "Could we please forget I said it?" She desperately pleads with her boss.  
  
"Margaret, there's no..." he stops, as her aggrieved eyes glance back up at him.  
  
Margaret cuts him off before he can finish his sentence. "Leo, could we please forget what I said," she requests with tears in her voice. "It was... stupid. I... don't know why I said it." Margaret pleads, as small glints of hurt wash over her features.  
  
"No," Leo mellifluously replies, as he shakes his head. "I want to know what you meant by it."  
  
Margaret gazes at Leo standing there in her living room. He's in his normal stance of one hand in his pocket, eyes pleading, head titled to one side and looking so incredibly handsome and sexy. Without a word, she walks over to the couch and sits down. Leo follows her and sits on the opposite end of the couch. She slumps back into the couch and drops her ever-fidgety hands into her lap. She slowly looks over at him. "Leo, I... I'm sorry. I don't want to be the cause of any more pain and suffering for you today or any other day. So I think that... I umm... maybe you should leave," she arduously reveals, as she lowers her head and stares at her hands.  
  
The uneasiness in Leo's stomach just increased ten fold. "Leave?" He asked with a lump in his throat.  
  
"Yeah." Margaret nods her head without looking up at him. She reaches for a tissue on the coffee table and wipes her face.  
  
"I don't want to leave. I... need you," he confesses, as he moves over to her.  
  
"You don't need a quirky assistant with unrealistic dreams causing you trouble." She rationalizes, as she looks up at him, and her hands fidget in her lap.  
  
"Did you really mean what you implied in the office?" He queries in a hushed tone, as he moves closer to her.  
  
"Leo, please don't," she begs for him to drop the subject, as she lowers her head in embarrassment.  
  
"Did ya?" Leo implores for her to tell him the truth.  
  
Margaret raises her head to meet his eyes. She knows that he at least deserves this much. "Yes," she states hesitantly, as she turns her head away from him, not knowing how he's going to react.  
  
"Then, I don't want to forget it," he murmurs slowly, blinking his eyes down and back up again. Leo reaches out and places a hand on top of her nervous hands to calm them. "No, Margaret, you don't understand. I need you too." He softly admits, as he reaches out with his other hand and gently turns her face towards his. "I want ...for us... to explore our feelings for one another."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah," Leo pauses. "When you ran away from me today it hit me. I think I've known for a while, but I guess I was afraid to admit it to myself or even let myself feel anything towards you." Leo traces his fingertips under her chin. "And I didn't think you'd be interested."  
  
A shiver runs though Margaret's body from his slight touch. Her hands calm as her whole body relaxes. She nibbles on her bottom lip, trying to figure out what his admission means and what she should say. She decides that actions speak best. So she slowly gets up and stands in front of him. She reaches out her hand to him, and he slowly takes it. She pulls him up off the couch. His puzzled face stares at her as she does this. She unbuttons his overcoat, slides it off his shoulders and then lays it over the chair that sits next to the couch. She turns back to face Leo and places a hand on his shoulder and gently presses down on it. Leo takes the hint and slumps back down onto the corner of the couch. Leo gazes up at her and she shudders at the sadness in his eyes. She eases her body down next to him. He turns sideways and pulls her into his arms. She lays her head on his shoulder. Leo breathes a heavy sigh as dips his head and kissed the side of her face softly, then pushes his cheek against hers. They stay like this for several minutes enjoying being this close for the first time, both of them afraid to speak or proceed any further.  
  
"Leo?" Margaret breaks the silence with a whispered voice.  
  
"Hmm," he weakly responds, as he shifts and pulls her closer into his arms.  
  
"Are you okay?" She asks, as she turns her head and tries to look into his eyes that have never been able to hide the truth from her. She's still worried about him limping. She noticed earlier that he's not limping as bad as he was in the office, but she's unsure of the cause for his more pronounced limp. She's also worried about his mental state. He seemed so despondent in his office when he was talking to the President.  
  
"I'm fine," he lies, his eyes giving him away.  
  
"Leo, when will you ever learn that you can't hide things from me?" She mumbles into his shirt. "What happened today?"  
  
Leo's body involuntarily flinches at her question.  
  
"Do you want to talk about why you were so... upset earlier in your office?" She lets out in a rush of breath.  
  
"Margaret," he pleads.  
  
"Leo," she mimics. "I know it has something to do with Kenny, but I don't understand why you feel that you have to protect him. Why you would choose to squander your job over this." She pauses and berates herself. She shouldn't be forcing the issue. He's obviously been through enough today. "Leo, I'm... sorry I asked." She reaches over and gently strokes his face. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me," she says, as she continues to caress his face. She leans over and shyly places a kiss on his cheek and then buries her face into his neck and sighs, "I'm just so glad that you're here."  
  
Leo leans his head against Margaret's and sighs slightly. He's never told her anything about his war experiences, well for that matter, he's never really talked about it with anybody, even Jenny doesn't know what happened to him in the war or how he got injured. All most people know is that he was shot down, broke his leg and was rescued after three days. The President knew that Kenny was with him when he was shot down, but Leo has never gone into any details about it -- until tonight. Leo sighs and decides that maybe it's time to tell Margaret about what happened.  
  
"Margaret," he slowly breathes out. "I owe Kenny... my life."  
  
Margaret raises her head off his shoulder and looks into his sad eyes. "Leo, it's okay you don't..."  
  
Leo places a finger to her lips. "I know I don't, but I want you to understand." Leo watches Margaret bob her head. He looks up at the ceiling, takes a deep breath and then continues. "Kenny and I were on a mission, and we were shot down. He made it down safety in a clearing, but I landed near the tree line." A ripple of pain crosses Leo's face at this memory. "My chute got caught up in a tree and ripped. I came down too fast and landed hard on the ground. My right leg snapped below the knee, the bone... it umm... it came through... Kenny quickly found me and dragged me into the woods." Tears threaten to leave his eyes. Margaret reaches over and gently touches his face. "We were in the jungle for three days. He carried me on his back. I was delirious; I'd lost a lot of blood. He coulda left me... he shoulda left me, but he didn't. He never deserted me. I pleaded with him to save himself, but he wouldn't. On the third day we were rescued. Two helicopters came down to pick us up, they... they were under heavy fire. Men... died... for us. They deserved better than what they got from me in return and now... Kenny, too." Leo starts to get up, but Margaret places a hand on his arm.  
  
"Leo, what do you mean by what they got from you?" She shifts her position and sits on the edge of the couch.  
  
"I'm an alcoholic and a drug addict, how did *that* honor their memory?" His eyes still rimmed with tears.  
  
"Oh Leo," She pulls him into her arms. "You have done so much to honor their memory. You've severed your country for years and sacrificed so much for this job..." She chokes out between her tears as she holds his head against her chest. "Leo, I've worked for you for years, you have always put your country first and I'm so afraid that it's going to destroy you one of these days." She kisses the top of his head. "I won't let you think that you've not honored them." She gently takes a hold of his face in her hands and brushes a gentle kiss to his lips. "I won't let you," she repeats, as she leans in and kisses his lips again. This time he responds and kisses her back. They rest their foreheads against one another.  
  
"Margaret," Leo sighs. "I... you don't..."  
  
"Shhh, you've talked enough for tonight," she informs him, as she gets up off the couch and reaches a hand out to him.  
  
Leo has a puzzled look on his face, but he obediently takes her hand.  
  
Margaret leads him into her bedroom. She stops by her bed and turns to him. She takes his cell phone, pager, wallet and keys and sets them on the bedside table, and then loosens and then removes his tie. She undoes a couple buttons on his shirt. She slides his suit coat off his shoulders and then points to his shoes. He slips out of them. Margaret pulls back the comforter and motions for Leo to get into bed. He slowly and hesitantly crawls into her bed. Margaret goes to the other side and gets under the covers too. She slides next to Leo and takes him in her arms. Leo rests his head against her chest. She starts rubbing gentle soothing circles on his back. It's all been too much for Leo, and he starts to sob uncontrollably. He clings to her like she holds his only chance of surviving this. Margaret holds onto him tightly. "Oh, Leo," she says, as she starts to cry again too. She wonders just how much more he can endure, before he breaks.  
  
Margaret holds onto him until she's sure that he's sound asleep. She slips out of bed and goes out into her living room. It's ten o'clock at night. She decides that it's still not too late to call the White House. She gives the appropriate code to the operator and gets the Residence.  
  
"Hello," The President answers. He already knows who it is because the operator informed him before putting the call though. But, since this is the first time that Margaret has ever called the Residence from outside the White House, she has no way of knowing this and he doesn't want to rattle her by saying her name before she announces it herself.  
  
"Mr. President," she shyly says. "It's... Margaret." She quietly informs him. She doesn't want to wake up Leo.  
  
The first thing that Jed notices is that Margaret's voice is quiet and shaky. "Margaret, is Leo okay?" He assumes that Leo's still with her. He had called Ron earlier tonight to find out where Leo was because he was concerned, since Leo disappeared soon after their talk.  
  
"He's... still very upset, but at least he's sleeping right now." Margaret doesn't even ask how the President knows that Leo's there at her apartment. "He told me.... about what happened in the war. He feels he hasn't done enough..." She starts to softly cry at the memory of look in his eyes as he told her this. He really believes that he's failed those who gave their life, so that he might live.  
  
"Yeah," the President responds. "He told me the same thing. I tried to tell him he has done so much more, just on his own, to honor their memory and that I was proud to know him." It has been years since the President has heard Margaret cry because of Leo, and her tears disturb him. Her tears remind him of the time that he called her to inform her that Leo would be gone for twenty-eight days. She had cried then, too. That's when Jed realized just how much Margaret cared for her boss. Jed can't help but wonder if it's something more this time. Could it be love? Does Margaret love Leo? Does Leo feel the same way too? Leo did go to her apartment tonight. He mulls this over in his head as he asks, "Margaret, are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine, Sir." She sniffs out between tears. "It's just... I hate to see him so ... haunted. I haven't seen him like this in..."  
  
Margaret doesn't need to finish her sentence. Jed knows exactly what she means. He too had thought the same thing tonight. That's why he had Ron track Leo down. Jed was worried that Leo was going to crawl back inside the bottle. "Margaret, it'll be fine. He'll be fine." Jed wishes that he believed this.  
  
"Sir, the reason I called was that I think Leo needs a couple of days away, but you know him he'll never willingly take them off. I was hoping..."  
  
Jed interrupts her. "Margaret, say no more. The White House is now off limits to Leo until Monday morning. You tell him to call me tomorrow morning. I'll take the heat for this one, Margaret." Jed wants to ask her more. Like why did Leo come to her apartment? But, he decides that now is not the time.  
  
"Okay, Sir," she says, as she peeks back into the bedroom to check on Leo. "He's not going to like this."  
  
"Tough," the President smirks. "You have him call me. Don't you try and take the blame for this, Margaret. I'll pull my Commander and Chief card on him and order him to take the time off."  
  
"Thanks, Mr. President. I think I'm going to try and get him to go away for the next couple of days. He really needs to rest. His leg really seems to be bothering him, too." Margaret pauses, she's not sure if she should say anything about Leo and her. "Sir, I just wanted... um... I think you should... umm... that..."  
  
"Margaret, calm down and tell me." He tells her, as he thinks to himself that it must be something bad if Margaret is this afraid to tell him. "Just tell me what's going on."  
  
"Leo and me, I mean I, are getting closer ...and... I think we both hope it leads to more." She breathes a deep sigh of relief.  
  
"Margaret, I think that's wonderful. I couldn't be happier for the two of you," Jed says, as a huge smile covers his face. He's going to enjoy teasing Leo about her. "I know that you are exactly what he needs, and I know he cares for you a great deal."  
  
Margaret's shocked by the President's statement but doesn't ask how he knows that Leo cares for her. "Thank you, Sir," she pauses, she's not sure if she should ask him this next question. "Mr. President, do you think you could... have an agent come over here and... watch him, while I run to his hotel and pack a bag for him."  
  
"I'll have Ron send someone over immediately, don't worry about it. If you are planning to go somewhere, don't you think you need more than a couple of days? "  
  
"I don't know if he'd like that, Sir."  
  
"Doesn't matter. I don't want to see either of you until Wednesday morning. Okay?"  
  
"Okay and thank you, Sir. I need to get off here and get on the Internet and make some reservations. I'll have Leo call you in the morning."  
  
"Okay, pick somewhere nice and I'll see you when you guys get back. Goodbye."  
  
"Goodbye, Sir," she says and then hangs up the phone. She goes to the bedroom doorway and finds that Leo's still asleep, so she heads for her computer in the corner of her living room and logs on.  
  
She decides that they need to find someplace where Leo can relax, not just another hotel room, but maybe a cabin somewhere. She's always wanted to go the Smokey Mountains and does a search on cabins in the area. She finds a real nice chalet in the foothills of the mountains on the Tennessee side and books the chalet for four nights. Then she quickly scans for the nearest airport and finds that there's one in Knoxville. It's only about an hour away from the chalet. She finds and books them two round trip tickets to Knoxville leaving out of the Ronald Reagan National Airport at ten o'clock tomorrow morning. She figures that Leo will be up long before that. Next, she books them a rental car. She's just finishing up with all the reservations, when there's a knock at her door.  
  
Margaret gets up and quickly goes to the door. She doesn't want the agent knocking again. She's afraid that if Leo wakes up before she can put all of her plans into motion that she'll have a real battle on her hands. One that even the President won't be able to help with. Margaret's very surprised to see who the agent is that's standing on the other side of her door. She opens the door and invites him into her apartment.  
  
TBC in Part 2 


	2. Part Two

Title: Caught Up in His Shirt Tale (2/?)  
  
By: adoreleo  
  
Rating: PG13 - Contains some language and sexual innuendo.  
  
Characters: Leo, Margaret, Jed and Josh  
  
Spoilers: Anything up to and including An Kne.  
  
Disclaimer: The characters are from the NBC, WB, TV show The West Wing; they do  
  
not belong to me.  
  
Beta & Additional Ideas By: Lynn, who always goes above and beyond the call.  
  
THANKS!!!!  
  
Feedback: I would love it hear your opinion! Suggestions are welcome too!  
  
Summary: Leo receives some disturbing news and it causes him to confront some  
  
old demons with a little help from his friends.  
  
"Ron?" Margaret says, brow raised as she opens her apartment door and motions for the agent to enter. She's a little surprised that the President sent over the head of his security detail to watch Leo while she goes to his hotel and packs a bag.  
  
"Margaret," he simply replies as he steps into her living room. He can tell that Margaret is somewhat taken back by his presence, and he tries to put her mind at ease quickly. "The President asked me to send over an agent. Since your apartment is on my way home, I decided it might as well be me." He failed to mention that he, too, was worried about Leo and that this isn't the first time that the President asked Ron check on Leo in the past few months. One thing the President doesn't know is that Ron has always chosen to handle it on his own. Ron's very aware that Leo hasn't been himself in months.  
  
"Okay, I um... I won't be long," Margaret says, as she bobs her head and walks to her hall closet to get her coat. She thinks of something to tell Ron, turns quickly and catches him discreetly searching her apartment with his eyes. "He's asleep in my... bed," she shyly admits, as she turns her head so that Ron can't see that she's blushing. "There's soda in the refrigerator. Please, help yourself." She calls to him over her shoulder, and then she grabs her coat. "I hope he doesn't wake up and find you here." She blurts out, as she nervously puts on her coat and moves to the door. She stands there for a second, then turns and faces Ron, hands fidgeting.  
  
"Margaret," Ron's voice is steady and soft as he walks over to Margaret and places a reassuring hand on her arm. "Don't worry about it." Ron is bothered by the look of despair on Margaret's face. She's obviously been through the wringer tonight. "If he does, I'll handle it."  
  
Margaret can't help but frown at Ron's worried statement. She's heard Leo say those extract same words a thousand times. 'Too many times, for so many different reasons and most of them not good,' she thinks to herself. "Okay," she replies as she reaches for the doorknob. "It's just that... he's been through so much tonight and these past few months... years even." Margaret glances up at the ceiling, trying to hold in her tears, and then looks back at Ron though watery eyes. "I'd hate it if he needed me... and I wasn't here for him." She sadly relents, as the tears overflow and make their path down Margaret's face.  
  
Ron's never witnessed Margaret crying before and it concerns him. She's such a strong woman, the steadfast backbone of the Chief of Staff's office, who's always there for Leo. Ron looks into her eyes and senses that something has changed between Leo and her. "Margaret..." he struggles to find the appropriate words. "It'll be okay. Go... do what you need to do. I'll deal with Leo if he wakes up. Okay?" He states, as he opens her door and places a hand to the small of her back to guide her out of her apartment.  
  
"Okay. I won't be long," she returns, as she bobs her head and heads off down the hallway.  
  
Ron watches Margaret descend the stairs, and then slowly closes her door. He walks over to her bedroom and looks at Leo lying in her bed. The room is dark, but there is just enough street light for Ron to make out Leo's troubled face. He stands there for a couple of seconds watching the second most powerful man in the country, fail at trying to find peace in his sleep. He walks over to the couch, sits down and hopes that Leo doesn't wake while Margaret is away. Leo is sometimes not the easiest man to deal with or protect, especially when it comes to the welfare of the President. Ron envies their great friendship immensely. He knows that either man would gladly give up their life for the other. He suspects that Leo feels that he's not worth the sacrifice and that the President is the only one who is truly worth it. Ron has witnessed as Leo put himself between the President and harm's way several times, it didn't matter if the threat was physical or political. Leo has never hesitated.  
  
The first time it happened was at Rosslyn. As soon as the bullets rang out, Leo stepped in front of the President and shielded him with his body before the Secret Service Agents propelled the President into his armored car. Leo's agents had to physically restrain him to keep him down that is after they finally got him down on the ground.  
  
Ron's thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the covers rustling from Margaret's bedroom. "Oh great, this should be interesting," Ron murmurs under his breath as he prepares himself to deal with an obstinate Leo McGarry.  
  
Leo wakes with a start and bolts upright in bed. At first, he thinks he's in his hotel room, but he quickly dismisses that notion. He sits there for a couple of seconds rubbing his eyes, struggling to focus and figure out where he is. It all comes back to him in a rush. He's in Margaret's bed. He looks over and finds her missing. At first he thinks that its morning, but he looks at her alarm clock and discovers it is only ten thirty.  
  
Leo moves to the edge of the bed and puts his feet down on the floor. His body aches all over from spending so much time out in the cold today. His clothes are drenched in sweat and clinging to his body. He shivers from the cold air hitting his wet clothes. He knows he needs to get out of them. 'Modesty, be damned,' he thinks to himself as he stands, unbuttons his shirt and throws it on the floor next to the bed. He unfastens his pants, steps out of them and throws them on top of his shirt. He stands there for a few moments dressed only in his t-shirt and boxers, deciding if he should go look for Margaret or crawl back into bed.  
  
Leo's curiosity gets the better of him, and he walks out into living room and finds a Secret Service agent sitting on Margaret's couch.  
  
"Ron?" Leo says, arching an eyebrow.  
  
"Leo," Ron replies as he gets up from the couch.  
  
"Little late for a visit," Leo says, looking around the room for Margaret. "Isn't it?"  
  
"Umm... I..." Ron stutters. He's about to say, more but an impatient Leo interrupts him.  
  
"Where's Margaret?"  
  
"She umm... needed to pick something up... at," Ron tries to explain, but Leo stops him again.  
  
"Pick what up, where?" Leo demands, as he moves over closer to Ron.  
  
"She went to your hotel... to get you some clothes." Ron back peddles as he mentally cusses himself for getting into this situation.  
  
"Okay... that sounds like Margaret." Leo's starting to get a little upset with the vagueness of this conversation. "But, why are you here?"  
  
"Well..." Ron clears his throat, and then continues. "Margaret was umm... talking to the President earlier and he..."  
  
Leo cuts off Ron before he can finish his sentence. "What was Margaret doing talking to the President?" Leo is about one step away from being livid.  
  
"Leo, if you'd calm down and let me finish my sentence. I'll tell you," Ron implores. He knows that Leo's had a bad night, but he's about had it with him.  
  
"Okay," Leo reluctantly concedes.  
  
"I don't know who called whom," Ron lies. He doesn't want to get Margaret into even more trouble with her boss. "But, the result of the conversation was that the President asked me to send someone over here, while Margaret went to your hotel. Her apartment is on my way home, so I decided to handle it myself."  
  
"So," Leo smirks as he gestures at him. "Now you're a baby sitter?"  
  
"Only if you're a baby," Ron replies back in the same tone as Leo.  
  
Anger quickly flashes over Leo's face, but is soon replaced with a smile. He knows that he has not been acting very pleasant and probably deserved that last comment. He's about to apologize, but Ron speaks up.  
  
"Leo, don't be too hard on Margaret. She's... just.. well she's..."  
  
"I know Ron, she just... well she worries about me," Leo says as shakes his head in wonder at his dedicated assistant who has slowly become even more precious to him.  
  
"Yes, she does," Ron whole heartily concurs. "You're a lucky man, Leo."  
  
"Yes, yes I am, Ron." Leo says as he lowers his head. When he lowers his head he realizes that he's standing in front of Ron in only his boxers and t-shirt in the middle of Margaret's living room. He visibly flinches and jerks his head back up at Ron. "Ron." He says as his face flushes.  
  
"Leo?"  
  
"Umm... Ron, this isn't what it looks like," Leo says as he waves his hand at his boxers.  
  
"You mean, you're not standing in your assistant's apartment in your boxers," Ron smirks.  
  
"It's, well I got sweaty... and my clothes... I mean we're not... you know... I mean... we haven't... ya know ...umm.... ah hell... I don't know what I mean!" Leo shakes his head in disgust at the fact that he's not able to manage a complete sentence. "It's new, okay?" Leo blurts out.  
  
"Okay," Ron nods his head.  
  
"We really haven't talked about us... much, it's... just... well I came over tonight because I needed to make sure she was okay."  
  
"And, was she?" Ron smirks.  
  
"Yeah, she was," Leo pauses when he sees the corners of Ron's mouth turn upward. "No, not like that!" Leo rubs his forehead and then sighs, "I was... worried about her."  
  
"Worried?" Ron slowly asks, as he realizes that his earlier thought tonight was correct. Something has changed between Leo and Margaret.  
  
"She umm," Leo breathes out a sigh. "She ran from the White House tonight and... well... I was worried."  
  
"I thought Margaret had the market cornered on worrying." Ron suggests as he sits back down on the couch.  
  
"Yeah," Leo rubs his eyes and yawns. "Yeah, she does, but... I love her and..." Leo lowers his eyes. He can't believe that he just said that out loud for the first time, and she wasn't even here to hear it.  
  
"Leo, why don't you go back to bed before Margaret gets back. That way she'll never know we talked." Ron realizes that Leo must be exhausted to have admitted that he loves Margaret.  
  
"Yeah, I think I will. I'm really tired. I'm going to go back to bed and hope that this whole conversation was just a bad dream, and hopefully I'll have forgotten it in the morning." Leo smirks as he turns and heads for Margaret's bedroom. "Goodnight," Leo throws back over his shoulder.  
  
"Goodnight, Leo." Ron replies. 'I hope you forget about this, too,' Ron says under his breath as Leo disappears into the bedroom. Ron lays his head back on the couch and exhales a heavy breath. He's glad Margaret didn't come back while Leo was standing there in his boxers. He's not sure who would have been more embarrassed. Ron allows a small smile to cross his lips at this last thought.  
  
Leo's been back asleep for about a half an hour and Ron's reading the paper when he hears the key in the lock. He gets up off the couch and quickly goes to the door to help Margaret.  
  
"Did he wake up while I was gone?" A worried Margaret asks as soon as she gets in the door.  
  
"He seemed to be dreaming there for a while, but he's sound asleep again, now." Ron sidesteps her question. He's had years of practice at not answering questions by using this method.  
  
"Okay, thanks for coming over," she says as she sets down Leo's suitcase in the hallway. "I figured he would sleep the whole time, but I didn't want to take a chance and leave him here by himself."  
  
"You're welcome. Margaret why don't you try to get some sleep? You look exhausted." Ron informs her as he heads for the door.  
  
"I will and thanks again, Ron."  
  
"Goodnight, Margaret." Ron says as he opens the door.  
  
"Night," She returns as he leaves her apartment.  
  
Margaret walks to her bedroom, looks in on Leo and finds that he's still sound asleep. She heads back to her hallway door, she had stopped and picked up a few groceries on the way home, so that she could make him breakfast in the morning. She slowly opens the door and heads for her car.  
  
She's back in just a few minutes; she unloads the items in her kitchen, puts away the perishables and then heads for her bedroom. She is really dragging after all that she has been through tonight. She wonders just how exhausted Leo must be, too. He had spent a lot of time out in the cold today, and she is worried that it will make him sick. Maybe she shouldn't be making him go away to the mountains this weekend, but she knows that he needs to rest and he'll never get it here in DC. She walks into her bathroom and quietly closes the door.  
  
Leo rouses when he hears the soft click of the bathroom door. He sees the light coming from underneath the door and knows that Margaret's back. He softly smiles and tries to stay awake until she comes back to bed, but his eyes are so heavy, and soon he is back asleep despite his best efforts to stay awake.  
  
Margaret comes out of the bathroom dressed in her sweats and t-shirt from earlier. She didn't want to wake Leo by rummaging through her closet looking for her pajamas. She slowly slips into bed, next to Leo. Even in his sleep Leo feels her presence, he rolls over and wraps a protective arm around her. Margaret sighs and is soon fast asleep in the arms of the man she loves.  
  
Leo gradually wakes; forcing his weary eyes open. The first thing that comes into focus is Margaret's face, draped with her beautiful red hair. He sighs when he sees how innocent and young she looks in her sleep. He reaches out to brush the hair off of her face, as she lies on her side. He gently touches her face, making sure that this is not a dream. Her skin is so soft and smooth under his fingertips. Margaret stirs at Leo's touch and shifts closer to him. She contentedly sighs as she rests a hand against his chest and lays her arm over his body, pulling him into a light embrace. He shifts closer to her, and then slowly wraps an arm around her, pulling her tighter against him. A smile flashes across his face as he wonders how he got so lucky to be in her bed. He closes his eyes and wills this moment to last a while longer.  
  
After lying there for several minutes, Leo lifts his head and looks at Margaret's alarm clock. He can't believe it's already seven-thirty. He should be at work by now, but he has no desire to get up and out of Margaret's arms. Finally, his head wins out over his heart and he slowly pulls from her loving arms.  
  
Margaret wakes, opens her sleepy eyes while he's quietly trying to get out of bed. She reaches out with her hand and touches his arm. "Morning," she softly breathes out.  
  
"Morning," Leo mumbles back, as he takes her hand, giving it a gentle kiss as he moves back closer to her. "Sorry I woke ya," he sighs, as he holds her hand against his chest.  
  
"That's... okay," she yawns as she shifts closer to his body. She feels the warmth of his body and his beating heart underneath her hand that's lying against his t-shirt covered chest. "You okay?" She asks quietly as she wonders where his dress shirt got to.  
  
"Yeah," he mutters back, lightly kissing her forehead while resting on his elbow next to her. "I'm... okay. You?"  
  
"Yeah," she answers back.  
  
"Margaret," he softly whispers as he lies down by her side. "I... want to thank you for being there for me last night. I don't... think I would have made..." He pauses as he lowers his head. "Its just... that there hasn't been someone there for me... for a while... like this."  
  
"Shhh..." she tells him, feeling the quickness of his heart under her hand. She brushes a light kiss on his lips to reassure him that she meant what she said last night. "Leo, I love you and I will always be here for you." She promises as she presses another kiss on his lips.  
  
"Margaret," Leo breathes out as he wraps his arms around her and pulls her close to him. "I love you, too."  
  
Margaret relaxes in his arms. It feels so good to be held by someone, especially when that someone is the one you have loved and wanted for years. But, she's still worried about Leo and can't resist making sure that he's really okay. "Are you sure you're feeling better this morning?" She asks as she nuzzles her face into his neck.  
  
"I'm fine," he sighs back at her concerns. This breathtaking woman lying in his arms has worried about him for years and with great reason, too. He's given her plenty to be troubled about over the years that she's faithfully worked for and supported him. She has never wavered from his side and has put up with a lot crap from him over the years. Him showing up high, drunk or both at work. Showing up at her old apartment too drunk or afraid to go home to Jenny. She's always cleaned up his messes.  
  
"Really?" She softly questions as she kisses his neck.  
  
"I'm not one hundred percent," Leo relents with a sigh. "But, I'm getting there." He tells her as he pulls her face up to his and places a gentle kiss on her lips.  
  
"Okay," she replies, as she snuggles up closer to him.  
  
They lay there in each other's arms for a while. Neither one of them really wanting to talk. So much had been said last night. Leo would rather concentrate on what Margaret told him this morning. He just wants to forget about his problems. But, he knows he can't run away from them. Reality is finally setting in. He hates to do this, but he needs to get to work. The country doesn't stop, just because he's had a bad couple of days. Leo looks over Margaret's shoulder at her alarm clock and discovers it's now eight o'clock.  
  
"Margaret," he reluctantly whispers. "I really don't want to leave your arms, but I need to get up and head for the White House. The President is probably already looking for me. I'm surprised he hasn't called my cell phone."  
  
Margaret just nods her head. She doesn't relish the idea of telling him that they are not allowed back into the West Wing until Wednesday. So she decides to put it off a while longer. "Leo, you should shower before we leave."  
  
"Okay," he replies, as he smiles as he slowly pulls from her arms. He instantly feels the loss of having her body next to his. "Umm... Margaret, I just want to warn ya before I get out of bed. I was really sweaty from all the emotions from last night, so I took off my clothes in the middle of the night."  
  
"All of them?" She smirks as she looks away from him, searching for his clothes.  
  
"No," he growls, resting on his elbow. "I still have on my boxers and t- shirt." He gestures with his hand to his body.  
  
"Okay," she says, as her eyes find his again. "I promise I won't peek," she teases, as a slight blush moves over her face, she ducks to hide it, resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
Leo takes her chin in his hand and lifts up her face. He places a kiss on her nose and starts to get out of bed. Margaret immediately places her head face first down into her pillow. Leo chuckles at her and heads for her bathroom. He has no doubt that when he comes back out that she'll have a suit laying on the bed for him. She probably picked up his new gray double- breasted suite with lavender tie that she commented about last week.  
  
He comes out of the shower, wrapped only in a towel. He spots his clothes on her bed, but they're not what he was expecting. "Margaret," he bellows just like he does in the office.  
  
Margaret scurries into the room and stops dead in her tracks when she sees Leo in a towel, still damp from his shower and looking incredibly sexy.  
  
"What are these?" Leo angrily asks as he waves at his clothes lying on her bed.  
  
"They're your clothes, Leo." Margaret smirks, as she stares at his bare chest.  
  
"I know that," he angrily growls back at her. "I can't go to work in those. Where's my suit?"  
  
"You mean the suit I found wadded up in a pile on my floor? It needs to go to the dry cleaners before you can wear it again." She replies with a flushed face. She can't keep her eyes from roaming downward on his toweled body. Margaret takes a deep breath, rallies her courage and continues, "Besides... you aren't going to the office today anyway," she informs him, as she looks him directly in the eye.  
  
"What do you mean I'm not going to the office today?" He angrily asks, as he takes a step closer to her.  
  
Margaret holds her ground. "Leo, you've been through so much these past few months and you haven't had any time off in over a year. You need to take some time for yourself for a change."  
  
"I don't *need* any time off," he heatedly snaps. "Damnit, there's too much going on for me to take the day off. I have meetings that I *need* to get to." He turns his back to her and stares at his clothes lying on the bed. He'll have to put them on and then change into his spare suit when he gets to work. He only hopes he doesn't run into any of the senior staff before he changes. He doesn't need any of their smart lip today about how he's dressed. He reaches to pick up his t-shirt.  
  
"Leo," she hesitantly calls. "Your schedule... has been umm... rearranged and you won't be going into the office today or any other day until next Wednesday. We've both been banned from the West Wing until then." She braces herself for the outburst that she knows is coming.  
  
"What the hell are talking about?" He angrily retorts. He quickly turns around to face her, and his towel slips off his hips. He hastily grabs for it, but misses it.  
  
"Oh my God," Margaret grasps, as her hand quickly flies to her mouth. She immediately turns and offers her back to him, her face burning in embarrassment. She's never seen his bare chest until a few moments ago, and now she's just caught a quick glimpse of the rest of him.  
  
Leo hurriedly bends over, picks up the towel and wraps it around himself and then sits down on the bed. His anger is immediately replaced with embarrassment. Leo looks at Margaret, who's still facing the other direction. "Well I guess that takes some of the mystery out of our relationship," he says sadly.  
  
Margaret can hear the despondency in his voice as she turns to take a peek to see that he is covered. She moves over to him and sits on the bed beside him. "Well, I hope there is still some mystery in our relationship. I know there is." She places her hands on either side of his face and leans in to place a gentle kiss on his lips. She pulls back and looks into his eyes and sees something other than just sadness. She sees something more, and she leans in to kiss him again and he responds this time and kisses her with more passion than she has expected from him at this point. He opens his mouth, and they explore each other's mouths fully as they fall back onto the bed and he moves over her and they continue to enjoy each other at this moment in time.  
  
His mind is so caught up in her that at first he doesn't hear the phone, and she doesn't respond to it either but he finally pulls back and places light kisses on her forehead and says, "Margaret... the phone's ringing."  
  
She lies on the bed and looks at him with a confused look on her face, and her head begins to clear as she recovers from their kiss and she reaches for the phone and says, "Hello?"  
  
"Mr. President!" She says, as she pushes Leo off her and jumps to her feet. She is immediately nervous now that she is talking to the President. "Yes, Sir...he is fine, Sir. Yes, Sir, he slept through the night ...he is right here. Yes, Sir... I will, Sir. We'll see you on Wednesday, Sir. Good bye, Sir."  
  
Margaret hands the phone over to Leo and leaves him alone to take the call from his President and his friend. She hears some yelling from her bedroom, while she is making breakfast and she knows he is not happy, but he needs this and so does she.  
  
Leo comes out of the bedroom reluctantly dressed in the causal clothes that Margaret has laid out for him on her bed. "Well, it looks like I've been kicked out of the White House for the next few days," he loudly grumbles as he gradually makes his way across her living room towards the kitchen table. "I can't believe he's doing this. There's too much going on for me to take any time off." He conveys, as he sits down at the table, grabs a napkin and places it in his lap.  
  
"Leo," Margaret sighs, rolling her eyes. "The country will be fine without you. Besides, you need the time away," she says as she walks over to the table and sets down a glass of tomato juice in front of him. "We both do," she says over her shoulder as she goes over to the stove to fix his plate.  
  
"Margaret, why do I get the feeling that you had something to do with this?" Leo accuses with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"The weather man said it might snow today," she relays, ignoring his question, as she walks over and places a plate down in front of him.  
  
"Margaret, do you really expect me to eat all of this?" He asks as he stares then gestures at the plate full of food.  
  
"Would you stop complaining and just enjoy your breakfast?" Margaret requests as she goes back over to the stove to fix her plate of food. "It'll get cold if you don't eat it right away," she informs him as she joins him at the table.  
  
"What am I, three?" He asks, reaching for his tomato juice and taking a sip of it. "Margaret... I'm sorry," he sighs, putting down his glass. "It's just... I really don't think that sitting around my damn hotel room until next Wednesday, doing nothing, sounds like a very productive use of my time. Not to mention being boring as hell, too," he growls as he picks at his scrambled eggs.  
  
Margaret figures it's now or never. She puts down her fork, gathers her courage and takes a deep breath. "Um... Leo," she says as she picks up her napkin with a fidgety hand and wipes her mouth. "You won't be sitting around at your hotel... I... I mean... we'll be going away on a little trip." She braces herself in preparation for Leo's outburst that she's sure will follow her statement.  
  
"Trip?" He questions with a smirk. "You and me?" He continues, as he waves his hand between the two of them. Leo can't help but notice that Margaret is squirming in her chair. His bad mood starts to lighten at the thought of spending some time alone with Margaret.  
  
"Yes Leo, you and me, on a trip," she breathes out in relief, since he hasn't blown his top so far. She lays down the napkin that she has been wringing in her hands.  
  
"Where?" He softly asks, reaching across the table to take a hold of one of her nervous hands and then gently squeezes it.  
  
"The Smoky Mountains," she tells him as she turns over her hand and curls her fingers into his. "Our flight leaves at one o'clock out of Dulles. We have a SUV rental waiting for us. Our chalet is about a one hour drive from the airport."  
  
"What's in the Smoky Mountains?" Leo asks.  
  
"Well, for one thing you and me," Margaret smirks. "For another, there's a ton of things to do there." She says releasing his hand. "I've always wanted to go there. I had a roommate in collage that lived there, and she used to talk about the area all the time."  
  
Leo sadly stares at Margaret and then slowly lowers his eyes as he wordlessly berates himself for not really knowing anything about her past. He doesn't even know what college she went to or what she got her degree in. He's not even sure where she's originally from.  
  
As usual, Margaret reads his mind. "Leo, I know what you're thinking and stop it. There was a lot going on in your life when I started working for you." She says as she gets up and moves behind him, draping her arms around him. "You need to stop worrying about the past and think about the future and what it might hold for us now." She places a kiss on top of his head.  
  
Leo turns in his chair and raises his eyes to meet hers. He sees the love she has for him, and it makes him want to only think about their future. He quickly tries to lighten the mood. "I bet the President found this very funny." Leo softly smirks. "Me at a national park. I'll never be able to live this down." He says as he shakes his head.  
  
"I didn't tell him where we're going, but he'll find out eventually I'm sure."  
  
Leo stands, wraps an arm around Margaret's waist as he lifts a hand to caress her face. "Margaret, I plan on finding out a lot about you this weekend. You know so much about me, and I know so little about you. I want to know more." He places a kiss on her lips. "Okay?" He says as he pulls his lips from hers.  
  
"Yeah," Margaret says as she bobs her head. They stand there in the kitchen in a tight embrace for several moments, just enjoying holding on to one another and thinking about their future.  
  
The trip to the airport goes without incident. Leo is not very happy that they're not flying first-class, but he holds his tongue, since Margaret paid for the airfare. He is silently plotting on how he can pay her back for this trip. He already offered to pay for the whole trip on their ride to the airport, but Margaret was adamant about that the chalet and airfare were on her. He knows she doesn't make enough to afford to do this, but he also knows that she's very frugal and has the money, but he will find a way to pay her back. Then it hits him; he'll pay her rent for the next few months. He'll pay the landlord when they get back.  
  
The flight to Knoxville is smooth and on time. They have no trouble getting their luggage or picking up the rental car. Margaret volunteers to drive, and Leo sits back and enjoys the view.  
  
"Leo," Margaret says, pulling her eyes from the road for just a second. "I'm a little hungry. Flying always makes me so hungry. Do you mind if we stop and get a quick bite to eat before we find the rental office and the chalet?"  
  
"I'm a little hungry, too," Leo admits. "Can we get some fast food somewhere? I haven't had fast food since the campaign."  
  
"Sure, most of them carry salads, nowadays." Margaret informs him as she locates a chain restaurant up ahead and then pulls into the parking lot.  
  
Margaret orders a salad with low fat dressing. Leo shakes his head at it. He orders a hamburger and a large fry. He catches Margaret eyeing his fries when they are placed on the tray. They find an empty table and sit down.  
  
"How's your salad," Leo asks with his mouth full of fries.  
  
"You're not funny," Margaret informs him.  
  
"What did I say?" Leo smirks.  
  
"Shudup and eat your fries," Margaret smirks back.  
  
Leo gives her smile, picks up his sandwich and takes a big bite, turns and stares out the window at the mountains in the distance. Margaret reaches across the table and steals a few fries. Leo turns around just in time to catch her. He reaches out and grabs her hand.  
  
"Hey, aren't those my fries?" He torments her.  
  
"What fries?" She innocently coos.  
  
Leo brings her hand, which contains the evidence, up to his mouth and he eats the fries out of her hand. He holds onto her hand after he finishes the fries that she has tried to pilfer. Margaret blushes as his tongue moves out to sensuously lick the salt off of her fingers, and then kisses her hand. He smiles brazenly at her, and then lets go of her hand. She smiles intently back at him; thinking that he gets to her so easily. She sighs as she watches him enjoy his meal and then he holds up his last fry and offers it to her. She takes his hand and moves it closer so she can take it in her mouth and enjoy the satisfying taste of it. She is not brave enough yet to lick his fingers but she smiles a thanks as she kisses his fingers. They finish their meal and then head off to the rental office.  
  
It takes almost an hour to get to the rental office. Everything is set and they head off for the chalet. It's about fifteen minute drive up in the mountains.  
  
Margaret pulls the SUV into the parking spot next to their chalet. They sit there in the vehicle just looking at the house they are going to be sharing for the next few days. It's beautiful; it looks just like the photo on the Internet. They get out and grab their bags and head for the door.  
  
"Margaret," Leo complains. "Let me help you with your bags."  
  
"Leo, I'm fine. I can carry my own bags." Margaret informs him.  
  
"Okay, suit yourself." Leo relents. "But don't complain to me when you'll get a sore back. Just how much stuff did you pack?" Leo smirks, as he watches Margaret struggle with her two suitcases.  
  
"Well, you never know what the weather is going to be like this time of year here in the mountains, at least that what the Internet said." Margaret breathes out as she drags the suitcase up the steps.  
  
Leo unlocks the door, and they enter the chalet. They both stop and drop their bags. The living room is very nicely decorated, and there is a huge fireplace at the end of the room. Leo walks to the kitchen and checks it out.  
  
"Hey, you didn't say that this was just like a house."  
  
"Well, sorry. I was a little busy this morning dealing with an obstinate boss." Margaret smirks.  
  
Leo turns around and gives her a look. "Yeah, I hear he can be such a pain in the ass." He agrees.  
  
"Sometimes, but the good definitely out weighs the bad." She tells him as she moves to him and wraps her arms around him in a tight hug. "Leo, lets get unpacked and then go get some groceries. I thought you might like to cook a couple of meals while we're here."  
  
"Yeah... that would be nice." Leo says as he presses a kiss on her neck.  
  
Shivers run down Margaret's spine from the kiss that Leo just gave her. She tries to pull from his arms, but he's not letting go as he continues to work his way up her neck and towards her mouth. She gives in the second his lips touch hers and she willingly opens her mouth and invites him to continue. He explores her mouth fully. After a few moments, they break for air.  
  
"Leo, we really should get a move on." She tells him. She can feel his desire and would love nothing better than to lose herself with him, but it's still so early in their relationship, and she is afraid to show him just how much she loves him. She's still concerned that Leo is too upset from recent events to really know for sure what he really wants. That's what this long weekend is all about. Making sure and getting to know each other better. "I don't want to be driving back up the mountains in the dark until I'm used to the roads around here a little."  
  
"Yeah," Leo heavily breathes out. "Sorry," he tells her as he tries to regain control and pulls from her arms. His face is a little flushed. He hadn't planned on letting things get that far, but parts of his body seem to have a mind of their own, apparently. He walks over to his bags and pulls them towards the hallway that leads to the bedrooms.  
  
Margaret follows Leo's lead and gets her suitcases. Leo stops at the first door and looks in. This appears to be the master suite. It has a king size bed in it. He walks into the room. Margaret heads for the bedroom across from the master suite. Leo's voice stops her from getting very far into the room.  
  
"Margaret," Leo glances back at her. "What are you doing?" He softly asks as he sets his bags down.  
  
"I umm... I was going to umm... unpack my stuff." She shyly returns, putting down her bags.  
  
"Aren't you going to stay with me?" He asks in a voice of despair, his eyes pleading with her.  
  
"Leo," she whispers as she glances downward and then back up at him. "Are you sure we should?" She asks arching an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah," he responds, lowering his eyes. "I need you." He says in a voice that is close to begging.  
  
"Leo?" She says, as she walks towards him.  
  
"Besides," he smirks. "You've already seen ALL there is to see."  
  
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to sleep you as in SLEEP with you," she blushes, stopping in the bedroom doorway too shy to go any further into his bedroom.  
  
"I didn't mean it that way!" He growls, rolling his eyes. He quickly calms, walks over to her and takes her hand in his. "I... I just need you beside me." He tells her as he rubs her knuckles with his thumb. "I need ya." He whispers again.  
  
"Okay, but I'm dressing and using the bathroom in the second bedroom." She smiles as she curls her fingers into his.  
  
Leo looks up into her eyes and sees the love that she holds for him. Leo cups her chin with his free hand, "Thank you for this and everything else that you have done for me and have always done for me on a daily basis." He pauses, brushes his lips against hers. "I've always noticed, but... was afraid to acknowledge it."  
  
"Why?" A puzzled Margaret asks.  
  
"Because, I... was afraid that... it would give away... my feelings for you," he shyly admits. "And I... didn't think you'd be interested," he slowly adds, dropping his hand from her chin.  
  
"Oh, Leo," Margaret whispers, reaching out and pulling him into a hug. They stand there, not talking for a few moments. Finally, Margaret breaks the silence. "Let's get unpacked. We need to get going, before it's too late." She pulls from his strong arms and walks over to where she left her bags. She gathers them up and moves them into the master suite. "I saw one of the super one stop shopping stores in Pigeon Forge. We can pick up everything we need there. You need to get a pair of swimming trunks," she tells him, pressing a finger into his chest, as she walks by him.  
  
"Swimming trunks. What do I need those for?" Leo quips, grabbing her hand that is touching him. He just can't get enough contact with her.  
  
"There's a hot tub outside and there's also supposed to a Jacuzzi around here somewhere." She says, pulling from his hand and moving toward her suitcases.  
  
"What type of suit do you have?" Leo retorts, raising an eyebrow at the thought of Margaret in a swimsuit and wet from the water.  
  
"You'll just have to wait and see," she teases, opening up her suitcase. She starts to put away her clothes.  
  
Leo tries to get a peek into her suitcase. "Nice," he comments when he sees her unmentionables and then lightly swats her on the behind.  
  
"Leo," she blushes as she jumps a little. His pat took her by surprise.  
  
"What?" Leo feigns raising his hands in the air, moving over to his suitcases.  
  
"You're so bad." She laughs at his playfulness. She hopes that there's a lot more laughter this weekend. They both need it.  
  
A couple hours later they find themselves wandering around the super store in search of some swim trunks for Leo. They find an employee who points them to the right direction. Even though it's the off-season, they carry a few of them.  
  
Leo looks at the small selection and only finds one pair of mediums. He holds them up and sneers at them. "They're a little too bright for me," he comments.  
  
"Are they the only mediums," she asks as she starts to go through the rack herself.  
  
"Yeah," he answers, hanging them back on the rack. "Other than those Speedos and I refuse to even go there," he smirks.  
  
"Well, we can stop somewhere else. I saw a couple of small shops that had swimwear hanging in the window."  
  
"Nah, I'll just take these," he concedes, as he grabs the bright colored flowery trunks off the rack again. "No reason wasting any more time," he says as he throws them into the grocery cart.  
  
"I think they're cute," Margaret informs him as she puts her arm through his.  
  
"You would," he quips. "They're all girly," he tells her, as he begins to push the cart toward the grocery section of the store.  
  
"They're men's swim trunks. How can you say they're girly?" Margaret teases.  
  
"Well, I'll tell ya one thing. They're NOT going back home with me," he enlightens her. "I have a nice pair of plain black ones back at my hotel that I use in the hot tub there."  
  
"I couldn't find any when I packed your clothes and since when have you had anytime to soak in the hot tub?"  
  
"I've made it to the hot tub a couple of times," he informs her. "And my trunks are... well they're... ah hell... they're there somewhere."  
  
"Leo, you've lived in the hotel for over 4 years now and you've only been in the hot tub a couple of times? You'd find me in it all the time, if I lived there." Margaret quickly blushes at her statement.  
  
"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind." Leo manages to breathe out, as he makes a mental note about Margaret and a hot tub. Maybe she can come over to his hotel after they get back. But, she probably wouldn't like that. Maybe he needs to finally move out of the hotel and buy a place with one. A smile crosses Leo's face at the thought of Margaret lounging in a hot at his place.  
  
"Leo, what are you smiling about?"  
  
"Nothing, um... nothing."  
  
"Okay..." she replies, not really believing him. "Lets get some food for breakfast and maybe a couple of meals. I don't want to eat out every night and besides; I want you to fix me a meal." She pauses and leans close to his ear. "I'll like to see if you've learned anything from your soft porn cooking show," she smirks.  
  
"Margaret," Leo growls. "Would you please stop referring to it THAT way?"  
  
"What way?" Margaret feigns, gesturing with her arms.  
  
Soon, they are in the grocery section going up and down the aisles searching for what they need. Margaret has been busy filling the cart with healthy foods. She's placed several items in the cart that he doesn't particular care for, but he's used to eating whatever she puts down in front of him. A couple of times, he's sighed, without realizing it, when she's put something into the cart that he really doesn't like.  
  
Margaret grabs a bottle of French dressing, adding it to the other items in the cart. She distinctly hears a sigh from Leo, she thought she'd heard him before, but this time she's sure of it. "Leo," she turns and stares at him. "I know I heard something this time. What wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," he lies.  
  
"Leo," she pauses. "How many times do I have to tell you that I can tell when you're lying to me?"  
  
Leo shrugs his shoulders and gives her a smirk.  
  
"Please, tell me. We have to be honest with each other."  
  
"Um... I don't like French salad dressing," he finally gives up.  
  
"Leo! I've always gotten you French dressing at work for years. I thought it was your favorite," she says in an exasperated voice.  
  
Leo shakes his head. "Well, half the time I don't even realize what I'm eating." He informs her. "And, you went to all the trouble to force me to eat... that... well it just didn't seem that important."  
  
Margaret is mortified by Leo's confession. "Are there any other things that I bring you that you don't care for?" She questions, with a squinty look.  
  
"Umm... well I prefer my eggs sunny side up with some shredded cheese on top," he shyly relents.  
  
"I've bought you scrambled eggs for years. Why didn't you tell me?" She remembers back to this morning. "Is that why you picked at your eggs this morning?"  
  
Leo nods his head. "Jenny always liked them that way, so I would eat them too, so Ruth wouldn't have to make them two different ways." As soon as he says Jenny's name, he flinches. He lowers his eyes and inwardly berates himself for mentioning his ex-wife.  
  
"Leo," she sweetly says, as she moves closer to him and touches his arm. "It's okay to talk about Jenny. Really, it doesn't bother me."  
  
Leo looks up at her with relieved eyes. "Margaret, I just want you to know that I've been over her for a long time now and its you that I want and need. If I were truly honest with myself, I've probably felt this way for years."  
  
Margaret quickly touches her lips to his; turns and then heads back to the cart. "Leo, is there anything else in here that I need to put back? I know I heard you sigh a couple of other times, too."  
  
"Well, I told you about the dressing, but if you like it, we should still get it. I prefer ranch." He smiles as he tells her this.  
  
"I like ranch too. There's no reason for us to buy two types for just the next few days." She says, as she puts back the French dressing and grabs a bottle of ranch off the shelf and puts it in the cart.  
  
"And... I really don't like carrot sticks," he gestures at them.  
  
Margaret snickers a little. "To be totally honest with you I don't like them either. I only eat them so you will too."  
  
"Well then, I'm putting these back," he says, reaching for them, he heads back to the vegetable section.  
  
Margaret is in the snack aisle when Leo catches back up with her. He grabs a couple of bags of his favorite snacks and drops them in the cart. Margaret smiles at the fact that Leo is getting brave with her.  
  
"Leo, you do like the broccoli I got, don't you?" Margaret asks.  
  
"Yes, I love broccoli with cheese sauce."  
  
"Do you like cheese on everything," she smirks.  
  
"No, but lets not go there yet," he smirks back at her.  
  
"Leo," she protests and then quickly changes the subject. "Did we forget anything?" She asks as starts to push the cart down the aisle.  
  
"Hey, where do they keep the whipped cream around here at?" He wonders.  
  
Margaret stops abruptly and gives him an eye. "Leo?"  
  
"No, Margaret," he says as he shakes his head. "I love it on my ice cream, but I hardly ever get it at the hotel."  
  
"I think it's over there," she tells him as she points to a section with her finger.  
  
Leo wanders off in search of whipped cream and ice cream. He is soon back with it and some soda, too. He puts the items in the cart. Margaret gives him a look. "Hey, I'm on vacation, plus I got diet soda," he retorts, flashing her his best impish grin. He notices that Margaret has picked up some tomato juice and he decides to have some fun with her. "Yuck, tomato juice," he quips as he turns up his nose at it.  
  
Margaret is shocked by his comment. "Leo, I thought you loved it. I've heard you say it's your favorite several times. I don't know how many times you've asked me to bring you back some from the mess. They never use to even carry it until you requested it."  
  
Leo can't help himself and laughs out loud. "Yeah, I love it. I was just kidding." He tells her as he holds his side.  
  
"Leo," she laughs, as she reaches out and playfully swats him on the arm. She loves that he's starting to relax. "Okay, I think we're done enough shopping. Lets get out of here. I think we should stop and pick up some fast food for lunch on the way back to the chalet. We can have a quick lunch and then go out exploring some," she informs him as she heads off for the check out lanes.  
  
"Sounds like a plan to me," Leo says, as he has to hurry to keep up with her long strides.  
  
They get back at the chalet around five o'clock and put away the groceries. Leo comes up behind Margaret and puts his arms around her waist, moves her hair out of the way with his face and kisses the side of her neck.  
  
"Where'd you want to go for dinner tonight," he whispers against her ear.  
  
Leo's voice vibrating in her ear sends shivers down her spine; she's having trouble thinking about food when he's holding her like this. "Hum... I don't know... you sure you don't want to stay in tonight?" She softly breathes out.  
  
"Nah, this is our vacation, I want to take you out tonight, and we have plenty of time to eat here over the next few days." He continues kissing her neck.  
  
"Leo, I can't think when you're doing that," she confides, as she turns in his arms and hugs him back.  
  
"Good to know," he smirked, applying a kiss to her lips and then trailing kisses down the front of her neck.  
  
"Leo, stop it," she playfully tells, him as she tries to pull from his arms. "The lady at the rental office gave us a list of restaurants in the area. What did you do with it?" She manages to break free from his arms and starts to search for the list.  
  
Leo stands there, arms crossed watching her floating around the living room looking for the list. He can't keep a smile from his face. He shakes his head, walks over to the kitchen table and picks up the list. "Margaret," he says holding the list up in the air. "Is this what you're looking for?"  
  
"Yes, were you hiding it?" She accuses, as she walks over to him.  
  
"No," he says as he puts the list behind his back. "That comment, will cost ya a kiss," he says as he puckers up.  
  
Margaret can't believe the change in Leo's demeanor. He is being so playful. She decides to play along and she steps up to his face and leans in and gives him a kiss that puts all of her other kisses to shame. She finishes and steps back with a smirk on her face. Leo has a glassy eyed look as he hands over the names to the local restaurants. "Here," he manages to get out.  
  
"Ya know what I'm hungry for?" She says, as she scans the list.  
  
"I'm not even going to try and guess," he says with a chuckle.  
  
"Well, I am on vacation, so... I want something that I normally wouldn't eat, like some steak or maybe even barbequed ribs."  
  
"Both sound good to me." Leo agrees.  
  
"There are a couple of places, fairly close to each other, listed here that serve both. Why don't we head there and see which one looks the best?" She says as she picks up her coat off the back of the couch.  
  
"You're the boss," Leo grins, as he helps her on with her coat.  
  
"Now, ya tell me," Margaret laughs. "Does that mean you'll bring me coffee this weekend?"  
  
"Absolutely," Leo says with a big smile as they head out the door.  
  
**Note** I will be on vacation in DC for the next week and a half (hopefully getting lots of inspiration for more Leo and Margaret stories!). So, I won't be replying to feedback until I get back on the 16th of Apr. Thanks! 


	3. Part Three The End

Title: Caught Up in His Shirt Tale (3/3)  
  
By: adoreleo  
  
Rating: Strong R - Contains some language, sexual innuendo and situations.  
  
Characters: Leo, Margaret, Jed and Josh  
  
Spoilers: Anything up to and including An Kne.  
  
Disclaimer: The characters are from the NBC, WB, TV show The West Wing; they do not belong to me.  
  
Beta & Additional Ideas By: Lynn, who always goes above and beyond the call. THANKS!!!!  
  
Author's Notes: Lynn wrote the fireplace scene at the end of this story. Thanks Lynn!!!  
  
Feedback: I would love it hear your opinion! Suggestions are welcome too!  
  
Summary: Leo receives some disturbing news and it causes him to confront some old demons with a little help from his friends.  
  
Part 3:  
  
It's around eight o'clock when they get back from dinner. Leo unlocks the door to the chalet and ushers Margaret though it. Leo heads for the couch and sits down slowly, rubbing his temples. He's been really quiet during the ride back to the chalet.  
  
Margaret watches him for a few seconds, and then walks next to the couch and stands there, watching him. "Leo, are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah... I'm fine," rolls off his lips before he even thinks about it. It's been his standard, automatic answer these past few years.  
  
"Leo?" Margaret questions with a raised eyebrow. She has always been able to see right through him.  
  
"Uh huh," he replies, continuing to rubs his eyes.  
  
"Does your head hurt?" She asks, moving to the back of the couch. Reaching down, she starts to massage his shoulders.  
  
"Yeah... a little," he relents, leaning his head back on the couch and looking up at her. He closes his eyes as she continues to rub his shoulders and neck. "Mmm... that feels so good."  
  
Margaret bends over and kisses his brow. She's been wondering what happened to him tonight. When left had left for the restaurant, he was in a good mood, playful even, and it had continued through most of meal. But, after they ordered dessert and coffee, he became very quiet and he had spent the entire ride back up the mountain in silence, too.  
  
"Leo, what... happened tonight at dinner?" She hesitantly asks, as she continues to massage his neck and shoulders. She knows he's still bothered by the events of the last few days, but his mood had changed so quickly.  
  
"What'd ya mean?" He replies, trying to postpone the inevitable. He knows that Margaret's not going to let him off the hook that easily.  
  
"I... was just wondering... why you got so quiet before dessert came? Did I say something to upset you?" She softly asks with an apprehensive tone and a worried glance.  
  
"No," Leo sighs, while reaching up to touch her face. "You didn't do or say anything wrong."  
  
"Okay," she answers, covering his hand with hers, then entwining her fingers with his. "Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"Nah... not really... but I will," he surrenders, motioning for her to come sit down next to him.  
  
Margaret releases his hand, walks around and sits down next to him. She lays a hand on his lap, then turns to look at him. "Leo... it's just..." She glances down at her resting on his leg.  
  
"You worry," Leo halfheartedly smirks.  
  
"Yeah, that too," she faintly confides, as she plays with the crease in his pant leg. "I... I just hate to see you like this." She casts her eyes downward and stares at her hands.  
  
"Margaret, really, I'm fine," he says, reaching over and tipping her chin back up towards him. "It's just... well I was just thinking about Kenny and ...." Leo breathes a heavy sigh, while releasing her chin. He can't continue. It still hurts too much to think about his hero falling. How could Kenny have done that? He closes his eyes, before they begin to tear and leans back against the couch, as he thinks about his long time friend and what's going to happen to him.  
  
Margaret patiently waits beside him. She reaches for his hand and squeezes it. "Leo, it's okay. Lets just sit here and enjoy the peace and quiet for a change," she offers, leaning her head on his shoulder.  
  
Leo reopens his eyes, rolls his head towards Margaret and places a gentle kiss into her hair. "Quiet, what's that?" He whispers into her hair, as he wraps an arm around her and pulls her closer to him. He just wants to forget about all his worries this weekend and concentrate on her. There's so much he doesn't know about her. He wants this weekend to be all about her. He hadn't meant to get distant and quiet, it just sorta snuck up on him. He was doing pretty well until he saw someone at the restaurant who reminded him of Kenny. He's going to have to try harder at keeping his troubles at bay.  
  
"I realize that's a foreign word to you, but I hope after this weekend; you get a better understanding of it and some other ones too," she informs him, laying a hand on his chest.  
  
"What other ones?" He asks, sinking further into the couch, pulling her lanky body with him.  
  
"Well, lets see," she coos back at him, checking her mental list. "Relaxing, talking, sleeping, eating..."  
  
"Is there going to be a memo on this?" He softly smirks, with a crooked grin, as he runs his fingers through her hair.  
  
"If you'd like," she puns back, trying to mimic his smirk.  
  
"Oh, I'd like," he mellifluously growls.  
  
"Okay," she grins.  
  
"Well," he grins. "I do have an item I'd like to add to your list," he informs her matter-of-factly.  
  
"Really?" she says in a surprised voice.  
  
"Yeah," he murmurs back, as he slides down even further into the couch, pulling her with him, so that she's now laying next to him.  
  
"What?" She asks, relaxing into his hold.  
  
"Kissing," he whispers, pulling her to him and pressing his lips against hers. He quickly forgets about all of his troubles as he moves a hand into her hair as he deepens the kiss, his tongue lightly teases her lips, until she allows him access. They fervently kiss for several moments until the need for air causes them to part.  
  
"Mmm... I really liked your addition to the list," she whispers.  
  
"Hoped ya would," he says, tracing his fingertips down her jaw line, and then cupping her chin. He gently pulls her to him for another kiss, just as passionate as the first one. He suddenly realizes that he has finally found the one thing his life needs the most, Margaret.  
  
After swapping some more kisses and some gentle caressing, they lay there for a while, just enjoying the moment, continuing to touch and hold on to one another. They both are a little tired from the traveling, but Margaret has something she'd still like to do tonight.  
  
"Is your headache better?" Margaret asks as she sits up.  
  
"Yes, much better," he smiles back to her.  
  
Margaret stands up. "Good, then lets go," she tells him as she curls her finger at him, indicating that he should follow her.  
  
"Where are we off to?" Leo asks, as he stands.  
  
"Well... I've been thinking about the Jacuzzi ever since we got here," she tells him, as she heads for the spiral stairwell. "Do you want to try out your new swim trunks and join me?"  
  
"Sure," Leo says, as his mind goes into overdrive about the thought of Margaret in a swimsuit.  
  
Margaret goes down the stairs and turns on the water to fill up the Jacuzzi. She's quickly back upstairs, and heads to the master bedroom grabs her suit and goes to the extra bedroom. Leo waits until she closes the door then heads for the master bedroom to change into his trunks, leaving his t- shirt on. He's quickly back out in the living room, awaiting Margaret's return. Leo's mouth gapes wide open when he sees Margaret in her swimsuit. It's a one piece, but it shows off her curves. Leo grins as his eyes wander over the suit.  
  
"Leo," she says in a flushed voice, feeling somewhat naked in front of him. "Stop looking at me like that."  
  
"Like what?" He smirks back.  
  
"Like... well... like the way you're looking at me," she blurts out, as her skin turns even redder.  
  
"Margaret, you're... beautiful," he finally manages to say.  
  
"Thank you," she blushes, as she heads for the spiral staircase in the living room that goes to the bottom level of the chalet. She stops on the stairs when she notices that Leo is not following. "Leo?"  
  
"Yeah," he slowly breathes out.  
  
"Well, are you joining me?" She asks.  
  
"Umm... yeah, I'm right behind ya." He says as he finally uproots his feet. She and the way she moved to the stairs have mesmerized him. Her legs go on forever; he thinks to himself.  
  
Margaret is already in the Jacuzzi by the time Leo has made it downstairs. "There's the switch for the jets. If you want them on," she says pointing towards the far wall.  
  
"Yeah, I think that would feel good," Leo says, walking and flipping the switch. He walks back over to the tub at stares at her. Her wet swimsuit is clinging to her body, leaving little to the imagination.  
  
"Leo?" She asks, feeling self-conscious from his scrutiny.  
  
"Yeah," he breathes out.  
  
"You're staring, again." She informs him.  
  
"Sorry. Its... just... well you're so beautiful," he finally stammers out, as he starts to get into the tub.  
  
"Thanks... umm Leo, you might want to take off your t-shirt," she informs him, pointing her wet finger at him.  
  
"Yeah," he blushes as he pulls it off over his head and throws it to the side. He climbs into the Jacuzzi, sitting opposite to Margaret.  
  
They sit in silence for just a few moments, then Leo looks into her eyes and grins inanely. "Margaret, there's so much I don't know about you. I want to learn all I can about you this weekend."  
  
"What do you want to know, Leo?" She smiles back at him.  
  
"Well, I know you're from Ohio, umm... Dayton, right?"  
  
Margaret nods her head.  
  
"And you have a brother?" He continues.  
  
"Two, actually," she corrects him. "They're both older. My parents had me late in life. My brothers own a small business. I use to work for them in the office after school and during the summers."  
  
"So that's where you learned to type so fast," Leo smiles at the image of Margaret long fingers flying across her keyboard. He's always been amazed by how fast she could type. He loves to sit and listen to the rhythmic sounds of her fingers hitting the keys.  
  
"Yeah." She replies, as she starts to think about all the things that lead up to her moving to DC.  
  
"I bet they weren't happy when you left," Leo says. He knows he wouldn't be happy without Margaret. He depends on her for so much. And now he needs her even more.  
  
"No," she shakes her head in agreement. "They really weren't. You see my parents... died in a car accident my sophomore year in high school and after that I lived with my brothers. They weren't very happy that I got a partial scholarship at Georgetown University. They wanted me to stay home, work for them and go to college there.  
  
They eventually talked me into postponing Georgetown for a year, but before I knew that year turned into three. I finally stood up to them and told them a didn't want to be a secretary for the rest of my life, so I packed up my things, and I left."  
  
Margaret's head dips a little at her last comment. She notices a change in Leo's posture. She pauses for a few seconds, but then continues. "I went part time at a local community college, while I was working for my brothers, so I had two years of college completed when I left. But, since I didn't start Georgetown right away, I lost my scholarship, so when I finally moved to DC I could only afford to go to school part time. It took me a while, but I finally got my degree."  
  
When Margaret told Leo that her parents had died, he moved to her side of the Jacuzzi and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He was surprised to discover that she had a degree from Georgetown. He realizes that it was probably in her records when she came to work for him. She had been a pool secretary at the Labor Department that was assigned to him, after he fired his second or was it his third secretary that year.  
  
Within only a couple of days of Margaret working for Leo, he requested that she be permanently assigned to him. She was the only one who could keep up with him. She quickly learned to foresee his needs. She amazed him back then, and she still does on a daily basis. He had never thought to ask her about her background. But then again, back when she started working for him he was in the dark grasp of alcohol and pills. Her comment about being a 'just secretary' shook him. Of course, she was more than just a secretary. She always has been so much more and now-- she's everything to him.  
  
Leo reaches out and puts a stray piece of hair behind her ear. He wants a better look at her face when he asks this question. "Margaret, why... did you stay with me all these years... you have a degree... you're so intelligent..." Leo tilts his head, giving her half a frown.  
  
Margaret turns her head towards Leo and places a hand on his leg. She was afraid that he would be disturbed by what she had reveled. "It's... complicated..." She drops her eyes.  
  
"I'm listening," Leo patiently says, putting a hand on top of hers.  
  
Margaret raises her eyes to Leo. She's never fully admitted to herself, until recently, why she's stayed all these years. "When I first started working at the Labor Department, I needed a job that would allow me flexibility with school. When I was assigned to you, I'd already been working there for four years, so I had only one quarter of college left. When you offered me the full time position, I needed the money. College had cost a lot more than I had planned, and I had a huge student loan to pay off. So I figured I'd work for you for a couple of years, pay off some bills and then..."  
  
"Okay," Leo squeezes her hand. "That explains why you took the job, but why did you stay?"  
  
Margaret lets out a soft sigh. She was hoping that he would be satisfied with what she had already told him. "I liked working for you."  
  
"Margaret?" He pleads with his voice and his eyes.  
  
"You know at first; you intimidated the Hell out of me." She softly sighs, looking down at their joined hands.  
  
"I figured," he sighs, giving her hand a squeeze. "You were so young, and I was... well... I was drinking pretty heavily then..." He lowers his eyes as he thinks about the demons that were winning back then.  
  
"Leo, it's the past. It's behind us now," she reaches out to touch his face, causing him to look at her. "It's also one of the reasons I stayed," she confesses. It hadn't taken Margaret very long, after she started working for him, to figure out that Leo had a problem with alcohol.  
  
"I suspected that might have been the case," Leo affirms.  
  
"Leo, it's not the only reason. When I came to work for you I was unsettled and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life. I mean I knew I wanted to be involved in politics somehow, but didn't really know where. I figured I could learn a lot from working for you. Then I realized that you..." She stops, unsure of how to continue. Leo's addictions were something that they have never really talked about.  
  
"Margaret, it's okay," he brings her hand to his mouth and gently kisses it, trying to reassure her. "You discovered my addictions."  
  
Margaret nods her head, "I wanted to help you. You were so driven and... troubled. I saw right through your gruffness and well... I was sorta... enamored with you after the first time I met you."  
  
"Really," Leo says in a surprised voice.  
  
"Yeah, between that and me needing to pay bills, I decided to accept your offer. When you went to rehab, I was so proud of you."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"When you got back, it seemed like time just flew by. And by then, I had developed a pretty strong crush on you and I felt terrible about it," she admits, lowering her eyes.  
  
"Jenny?" He asks.  
  
Margaret bobs her head, "And Mallory. She's always been so sweet to me, treating me just like family."  
  
"She's always loved you. She told me how you looked out for her, especially when I was in rehab." Leo gives Margaret of smile of thanks for all she's done for his daughter over the years.  
  
"I love her too," she returns his smile. "When you announced that you were leaving the Labor Department at the end of the Presidents first term, I thought that maybe it was time to move on. But, then you asked me to go into the private sector with you and I knew I should say no, but I couldn't. Soon, we were waist deep in the Presidential campaign and the next thing I knew I was working twenty feet from the Oval Office. I realized then that no matter what my reason had been for staying, that I had made the right choice."  
  
"Ya know. I couldn't have gotten here without you. I think of all that we've been through, and I know that you're the one who kept me straight. Thank you." He whispers, as he kisses her cheek.  
  
"Yes, you could have. You just wouldn't have been as well organized," she softly laughs.  
  
"I'm not convinced," he tells her. "I would have never made it through the first couple of years without you. You'll never know what it meant to me to have you by my side."  
  
"Yeah, that first year was... difficult. After Jenny left you, I... um... well ... I guess I finally allowed myself to fall all the way in love with you. So... now you know why I've stayed all these years. It's taken me a while to figure it all out, but it's true. I love you, and I stayed because I couldn't imagine you not being in my life, even if I thought I could never have you."  
  
"Well, you've got me now," Leo pulls her into his arms. "So what are ya gonna do with me now?"  
  
"This," she says, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling into an intense kiss that lasts for several seconds.  
  
When they finally break from the kiss, Margaret discovers that she is now straddling Leo's lap. At first, she is a little embarrassed, but Leo doesn't seem to mind. He looks into her eyes and smiles, and then runs his hands up her sides and rest them just beneath her breasts. He looks deep into Margaret eyes. She nods her head, giving Leo permission to go further. He gently rubs his thumbs over her erect nipples. She moans out when he does this. Margaret presses herself further into his lap, rubbing against his arousal. Leo leans his head back and mummers, "Oh Margaret." Then he leans forward, and pulls her head down to him. He presses his lips against hers and pushes his tongue deep into her mouth. They intensely explore each other's mouths for several moments.  
  
They finally break for air, and Leo starts dropping kisses down her neck and collarbone. He moves his mouth further down, and he covers one of her breasts with it. He gently sucks it into his mouth. Even with her swimsuit on, the sensation is unbelievable. She pulls his head tighter against her as she continues to rub herself against his lower region. Their pace really starts to get moving, when Leo suddenly stops his manipulation and pulls back from her.  
  
"Sorry, but I think... we need to stop," he tells her. He really doesn't want to stop. He really wants her right here and right now, but he knows they shouldn't rush things. He loves her, and he wants her to fully understand that before they make love. He doesn't want their first time to be in the Jacuzzi. He wants to be able to take his time and show her how much he loves her. It won't be just sex in the heat of the moment; it will be love that they will eventually make.  
  
"I know," she softly agrees.  
  
"I don't want to, but..." He tries to explain.  
  
"Yeah, I know that too," she whispers as she kisses his cheek.  
  
"I... want you, you know that, right?" He says, hoping that he hasn't hurt her.  
  
"Yes," she says as she slides from his lap, missing the feel of his desire pressed against her core. "I know you do, and I want you too. But, you're right. We don't need to rush this." She gives him a sweet smile and brushes her lips against his.  
  
"I love you," he whispers against her lips.  
  
"I love you too," she returns.  
  
They sit there for a few moments, staring into each other's eyes and allowing their bodies to calm down.  
  
"So, you're really thirty-eight or maybe thirty-nine years old?" He asks, as he tries to get their minds off of other things.  
  
"I'll be forty in summer," she tells him with a puzzled glance, wondering where he's going with this subject.  
  
"Good," he declares.  
  
"Leo!" She says in a high-pitched voice, as she swats his arm.  
  
"I didn't mean it that way. I was only thinking that it sounds much better that you are only seventeen years younger than me instead of the twenty- five years that I thought you were." He reasons, rubbing the spot that she lightly slapped.  
  
"You thought I was only thirty-three?" She smiles.  
  
"Yeah," he sheepishly admits.  
  
"I wish," she laughs.  
  
"I don't. I like you just the way you are." He tells her as he leans in for a sweet kiss. "Lets get out of here and go to bed. I want to hold you in my arms while I sleep tonight." He tells her as he gets out of the Jacuzzi and then turns and offers her a hand.  
  
"I'd like that," she agrees, taking his hand and climbing out.  
  
"Good, lets go." He leads her to the stairs and off the bed.  
  
==========  
  
They spend the next couple of days falling asleep in each others arm, sleeping late, eating out, exploring the area, talking, soaking until the late hours of the evening in the Jacuzzi, spending quiet time in front of the fireplace, and making out like teenagers. They still have yet to make love, but neither one of them seems quite ready yet.  
  
Leo has been on his best behavior concerning work. He only officially checks in with the President and Josh once a day. The other couple of times a day, he thinks he's snuck past her, but Margaret is fully aware of them, but she lets him have his fun, because he more than makes up for in the late evening hours. She's only heard him raise his voice once to Josh about something that he bungled. Most of the time is spent talking with the President, who is drilling Leo for information about their new and personal relationship.  
  
Margaret can't believe how relaxed he's been, she wonders if he'll be able to find a way to relax, once in a while, after they get back to work. It's going to be impossible to find the same quantity of time alone that they've had these last couple of days. But, she'd have to fine a way to get him out of the West Wing every once in a while. Unlike Jenny, she understands and agrees with how he feels about his job. It really is important, to both of them.  
  
==========  
  
Leo wakes up Monday morning, spooned up against Margaret. He grins as he realizes that the past three days hasn't been a dream. He closes his eyes and wraps an arm around her and holds her tight against him. It isn't long before she stirs and turns in his arms.  
  
"Morning," she says, kissing him.  
  
"Morning," he returns.  
  
"I see somebody's already up," she snickers.  
  
Leo ducks his head in slight embarrassment, "Yeah, sorry bout that."  
  
"Leo, I don't mind. As a matter of fact I'm glad I have that kind of affect on you," she softly giggles as she pushes her hips into him.  
  
"You're evil," he quips, trying control himself. He would love to roll over on her right now and make love to her, but he wants to wait until she's ready. They've come close the last couple of days, but he doesn't want to hurt her. He wants her to know how much he loves her and that he wants this relationship, more than anything.  
  
"Yeah, but you love it," she tells him.  
  
"Says who?" He smirks.  
  
"Says me and him," she giggles, pointing to his arousal.  
  
"Him?" He growls. "You better watch it or you might just find out what he really wants." He informs her, laying an arm on her and then playfully swatting her backside.  
  
"Is that a threat?" She asks, rising an eyebrow. She decides that now's the time for them to take their relationship to the next level. She knows that Leo has been holding off, so she decides to push him over the edge.  
  
"No, that's a promise," he growls.  
  
"And you never break promises. Do you?" She says, as she reaches out and toys with the waistband of his boxers.  
  
"Not if I can help it," he mumbles. Her touching him in that area is making him even more excited.  
  
"Good," she says with an evil look in her eye, as she dips her hand inside his boxers and then runs her hand down his length.  
  
Leo flinches at her touch and almost loses control. He's wanted her so much, and now he knows that its time. He runs his hands up underneath her nightshirt and pulls it off over her head. He groans when her hand leaves him. She has ideas of her own, she pushes his boxers down his legs, and he kicks them away. His mouth finds one breast and then the other, giving them both equal time.  
  
Leo runs a hand down her back and inside her panties. He pulls her tight against himself. His mouth makes its way back up to hers. The tongues duel for several moments. Leo pushes down her panties and looks into her eyes. She nods her head, and he moves on top. When he crosses her threshold, he stops for a second, "I love you," he mumbles. He can't believe how good she feels and how good she makes him feel inside, too.  
  
"I love you too," she says as she raises her hips to meet him. She has never had anyone cause so many wonderful and intense sensations with just one stroke.  
  
Leo slowly begins his motions again, and they became one. He leans down and presses his lips on hers, whispering more words of love into her mouth. She responds in kind with her own words. They continue to enjoy themselves for several minutes, then Leo's motions become stronger and faster until they are both ready.  
  
"I love you," he tells her as he takes them crashing over the top, both of them moaning the other one's name. He collapses on her and they stay that way for a few minutes, each trying to catch their breath. He finally rolls off her and she moans from the lost of his body.  
  
"Oh Leo that was... I mean I've never..." she grasps, trying to explain the emotions running though her body.  
  
"I know, me too," he tells her, as he pulls her into his arms and holds her tight. They lie there for a while, then Leo raises up on one elbow, "Margaret, marry me?" Leo asks as he stares intently into Margaret's brilliant blue eyes.  
  
"Yes," she answers with no hesitation. "Yes, Leo. I'll marry you." She tells him again as she wraps her arms around his neck and hugs him.  
  
"Margaret, I don't want to wait. I want to marry you today." He breathes into her neck, and then pulls from her hug to explain. "I've given this a lot of thought since Saturday, and I don't want to waste anymore time. I don't want to be away from you ever again. Margaret I love you and want you by my side forever."  
  
"Oh Leo, yes I'll marry today. I never want to be away from you either, I was thinking this morning when I woke up how I much I was going to miss waking up in your arms in the morning," she says, pulling him back down to her and assaulting his neck with kisses.  
  
"Margaret, if you keep that up, we're never going to get out of bed this morning," he manages to get out.  
  
"I wouldn't be opposed to that idea," she giggles as she continues to drive him crazy with her mouth and hands.  
  
"I thought we were going to get married today," he smirks, as she rolls him over and winds up on top of him.  
  
"There's always this afternoon," she tells him, as she makes her way down his body dropping kisses as she goes.  
  
"I can live with that," he agrees as he watches her. "Oh... oh Margaret," are the last coherent words he says as she devours him.  
  
==========  
  
They spend the rest of the morning enjoying themselves in bed and several other places in the chalet. They finally leave around one o'clock in the afternoon. They head off for the license bureau to get their marriage license. They hit a small snag after they get there, Leo needs his divorce papers to prove he's divorced. He calls his lawyers office, and they promise to send a fax right away. Leo closes the phone and slips it into his pocket and frowns.  
  
"Leo, its nothing to worry about. It will be here soon," she tells him as he walks back over to her and takes a seat next to her.  
  
"I know, it's just... you know how I hate to wait," he tells her as he takes her hand in his.  
  
"True, but aren't I worth the wait?" She asks in a soft voice.  
  
"Yes, Yes you are. But, you have no idea how long I've waited already." He confesses, squeezing her hand.  
  
"Oh and just how long is that Mr. McGarry?" Her curiosity is rising by the second.  
  
"Can we talk about this later?" He whines, as he glances around the crowded waiting room.  
  
"We could, but I'm impatient just like you are. So spill," she tells him as she plays with the crease of his pants leg.  
  
"Well first of all," Leo whispers, not wanting the rest of the room to overhear their conversation. "I've always thought you were something special... from the first day I met you." Leo inanely smiles as he thinks back and remembers the image of a young tall lanky red hair rushing into his office, on her first day as a temp for him, and telling him the President's office was on the phone and asking him if he wanted to take the call.  
  
The rest of the day went the same way, he would get a call and she would come and tell him. By the end of the day, Leo curiosity's was peaked. He went out to the outer office to ask Margaret if she knew that there was an intercom and if so why she didn't use it. She had told him that she thought they were far too impersonal and that her hearing worked fine, so if he needed her-- all he had to do was call her name.  
  
"Really," she replies in a surprised voice. "I thought you thought I was strange. It was really surprised when you asked me to stay on to be your secretary," she admits, giving him a delicate smile.  
  
"Nah, maybe a little quirky," he softly laughs. "But never strange. You just march to the beat of a different drummer." Leo turns a little more serious. "It's something that I have always loved about you." Leo pauses; there are so many things about her that he loves. He loves to hear her high- heels clicking across his office floor. He loves it when she gives him that squinty eye look when he gets caught trying to pull one over on her. He loves how she doesn't back down from him and is always honest with him. He loves it when they are shoulder to shoulder hovering over his desk working on something. He loves that she's so protective of him and how she takes care of him. He loves her red hair and her fiery personally. He loves her so much for so many different reasons, but mostly he loves her for being her.  
  
Margaret patiently stares at Leo. He seems lost in thought. When a vast smile crosses his face she asks, "Okay, so when?"  
  
"Margaret do you remember that night I called you in the middle of the night, after... Mrs. Landingham was killed?" Leo's voice catches as he remembers that terrible night.  
  
"Yes," she answers getting a sad look in her eye at the mention of her friend's death.  
  
"I... called that night... because I dreamed that you too had been killed in a car wreck and..." Leo pauses, trying to gather himself. He doesn't want to break down in a room full of strangers.  
  
"Oh Leo," Margaret breathes out as she takes his hand. She can see an unshed tear in his eye.  
  
"When I woke up in a sweat and I couldn't convince myself that it wasn't real... I had to call you. I just needed to hear your voice. After I hung up, I couldn't get back to sleep, I just kept thinking, What if it had been you?" That's when it hit me, I had feelings for you." The tear in Leo's eye finally makes its way down his face.  
  
"That night you called. I knew you were upset about something. But, all you would say was that you were fine and not to worry. I got in my car and drove over to your hotel, but I chickened out and didn't go to your room. I just sat in my car all night watching your window," she says, reaching out to wipe the tear off Leo's face.  
  
"You did?"  
  
"Yeah, aren't we a pair," she says shaking her head.  
  
"Yeah, yeah we really are," Leo smiles.  
  
"Leo that was over three years ago," she says, quickly adding up the dates in her head.  
  
"Yeah, I guess it was," nodding his head slowly.  
  
"Why didn't you ever say anything?"  
  
"Well, first off there's that age thing we talked abut the other night, remember I thought I was twenty-five years older than you. Plus I never dreamed that you could ever love me too," he admits.  
  
"Leo, I was so sure that I had given myself away to you so many times over the years, and I was so sure you would fire me if you ever found out that I loved you. I thought you would think I was a silly young thing with a crush, but it's always been so much more than that."  
  
"Boy we really are a pair," Leo says, shaking his head.  
  
"I guess," she bobs her head.  
  
"We've both waited a long time," he says, rubbing the knuckles on her hand.  
  
"Right, so waiting a few more minutes isn't going to matter. Plus, while you were on the phone with your lawyer I got to thinking that an evening wedding with candlelight would be so romantic."  
  
"Mr. McGarry," the young man from behind the counter interrupts Leo's reply. "Your fax is here." Margaret and Leo get up and walk over to the counter. "If you'll just fill out these forms." He informs them, sliding the papers to them. "You'll be out of here in a matter of minutes."  
  
Margaret smiles as Leo picks up one with a shaky hand. "Little nervous there?" She teases.  
  
"Ye...ah," his voice cracks.  
  
"And here I thought I'd be the nervous one on my wedding day." She giggles, taking his free hand and leading him back to their chairs. "Do you want me to fill that out for you," pointing at the paper work in his hand. "I know all your information."  
  
"Nah," he responds, pulling a pen from his suit coat. "I can do it myself." He says, flashing her a crooked grin.  
  
"Well, if you need any help, let me know," she tells him, patting his leg.  
  
Leo takes a hold of her hand, pulls it to him and kisses it then softly mutters, "I might need your assistance later tonight."  
  
"Leo," she flushes.  
  
"What?" He smirks back, trying to look innocent. "You are my assistant aren't you?"  
  
"Yes, and I'll always be willing to lend you a hand." She whispers back, trying to regain the upper hand in the conversation.  
  
"Well, I'm hoping for more than just your hand," he mumbles, releasing her hand as he starts to fill out the form in his lap.  
  
"How am I supposed to concentrate now?" She asks him, playfully giving him a swat on the arm.  
  
"Hey," he laughs back.  
  
Margaret just marvels at the site of a laughing and playful Leo. She's always suspected that he was in there somewhere, buried deep inside. She has occasionally witnessed glimpses of him before, but mostly around Mallory. But, these past few days, he's been more like the man she always dreamed he was.  
  
Margaret and Leo finally settle down and fill out their paper work. The leave soon afterward with their marriage license in hand. They then head off to a little chapel on one of the side roads. Chapel in the Valley is where they decide to pledge their life and love to one another. They make all the necessary arrangements for the ceremony, choosing a seven-thirty wedding time. As they are leaving the chapel, Leo pulls her close to him.  
  
"Margaret," he breathes into her ear. "I love you. You make me so happy."  
  
"I feel the same way too, Leo," she tells him, leaning into his hug. "Do you think the Republicans will be able to handle a happy Leo McGarry?" She giggles into his neck.  
  
"Don't know, don't care." He informs her, pulling her into an earth-shaking kiss on the streets of Gatlinburg.  
  
"Mmm... me either," she agrees, moving her body tightly against his. She can feel his desire pressing insistently against her thigh. "Do we need to head back to the chalet to relieve some of the pressure that's built up since this morning?"  
  
"Maybe, but I thought you might like to go shopping for a wedding dress. I picked up a flyer in the chapel's office. The have a couple little shops here in town," he informs her between the soft kisses that he's dropping on her neck and shoulder.  
  
"Leo, I wonder if there's a tux rental place here? I just love you in a tux." She pulls from his tight hold. "Lets go shopping and then head back to the chalet."  
  
"Okay, both of the shops are within walking distance from here," he tells her, taking a hold of her hand. Leo gives an impish grin. He's been plotting behind her back. He called Mallory yesterday morning, while Margaret was in the shower, and told her of his intentions. She was so happy for them. He asked if she minded not being there, and she told him that it was fine. She told him that she was so happy that he'd finally woken up and saw what was right there in front of him. Leo asked her to go to his hotel and get his new tux and ship it overnight it to the Chalet Rental office. It should be there by now, he hopes.  
  
"You going to be able to walk in your condition, Leo?" She smirks.  
  
"Yeah, but walk in front of me for a while. Will ya?" He explains, guiding her in front of him.  
  
"Okay, just tell me which way to turn up here," she says, pointing at the intersection.  
  
They make their way to the closest bridal shop. Thankfully, Leo has calmed down by the time they get there. Margaret quickly finds several dresses to try on. Leo takes a seat and thoroughly enjoys the modeling show that Margaret puts on for him. Margaret chooses a very simple ivory a-line dress that shows off her shoulders.  
  
"I never really pictured myself in a fancy wedding grown," she reveals, twirling around in front of Leo.  
  
"Oh Margaret... it's beautiful... I mean you're beautiful in it... well I mean you're always beautiful, but that dress... I love it," he stammers out, and then turns to the bridal consultant. "We'll take it."  
  
"Leo," she shrieks, as she looks at the price tag. "Its seven hundred dollars. I wouldn't have even tried it on, if I had looked at the price tag correctly. I thought the seven was a fancy one, I must have looked at it upside down," she blushes.  
  
"I don't care, Margaret," he informs her, moving to her side and kissing her cheek. "It's perfect." He moves in closer to her and whispers into her ear, "and it's the only one I want to help you out of tonight." Causing her to blush even more.  
  
"Leo, you say the sweetest things," she whispers back, returning his kiss.  
  
"Yeah, but lets not let that get around. It'll ruin my image," he whispers back.  
  
"Okay, your secret's safe with me," she agrees. "Now lets find a tux for you."  
  
"Ah about the tux... I have a confession to make." Leo pauses as he flashes her a playful grin. "I sorta had my new one overnighted here."  
  
"When did you do that?" She asks. Surprised that he was able to sneak something past her.  
  
"Yesterday morning, when you were in the shower," he boasts, having finally snuck something past her.  
  
"Who'd you call?" Her mind races ask she tries to figure out who he called and what he told them.  
  
"Mallory," he sheepishly admits.  
  
"She knows?" She softly asks, as glints of worry wash across her face.  
  
Leo nods his head. "Don't worry about it. She was so happy for us." He takes her hand and squeezes it. "She told me it was about time and that she knew that you had been in love with me for a long time."  
  
"She did," Margaret gasps. "Does she hate me?" She asks in a panicked voice, not really thinking about what Leo had just said.  
  
"Margaret, Mallory loves you and wants us to be together." Leo pulls back from her and stares into her eyes, trying to get her to listen to what he's saying.  
  
"She does?"  
  
"Yes Baby, she does." He reaches up and gently strokes her face.  
  
"Leo?" Leaning into his hand, which is lovingly holding her face.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You called me Baby,"  
  
"Yeah... I guess I did. Do you mind?"  
  
"No, I love it," she says as she wraps her slender arms around him and pulls him in for a kiss. After a few moments she pulls back slightly from his arms, allowing her hands to drop to his chest. "Leo, I'm getting married tonight!" She happily informs him.  
  
"Really, what a coincidence, I am too!" He softly chuckles, as he puts a hand to the middle of her back and guides her towards the dressing rooms. "Baby, we need to get going. We need to go get some wedding rings."  
  
"Rings, oh my God Leo. I never even thought about that," she tells him as she hurries off towards the rooms.  
  
"And you call yourself my assistant," Leo smirks.  
  
Margaret stops, turns and shots him an evil grin, "Keep that up Mr. McGarry and I won't be assisting you with anything later tonight," she smirks.  
  
"Well, Miss McGuire, as usual you are right and I beg your forgiveness," he says, bowing to her.  
  
"That's more like it," she laughs as she disappears into the dressing room.  
  
Leo is still laughing and shaking his head when he heads for the counter to pay for the dress. He can't remember the last time he's had such a fun day. Margaret is soon by his side, rubbing the small of his back. "Thank you Leo, I love the dress," bending over and kissing him on the cheek. "But, I still say you spend too much money." She snickers into his ear.  
  
"You're welcome and it's worth every penny," he tells her, signing the receipt, then grabbing the dress and handing it over to her. "We need to get a move on; we have to drive to Knoxville to get the rings."  
  
"Leo, isn't there a jewelry store here in town?"  
  
"Yeah, there is, but it doesn't carry what I want. I called stores this morning when you were in the shower." He informs her, grabbing her hand and pulling her from the store.  
  
"Okay, that's it. No more phone calls when I'm in the shower. I'm going to start taking your cell in there with me. I'm missing out on all the best conversations," she laughs.  
  
"Margaret, I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think you're gonna be showering by yourself any time soon."  
  
==========  
  
Leo and Margaret finally make it back to the chalet around four o'clock in the afternoon. They lay side by side in the master bedroom, tired from their hectic day, trying to take a well-deserved nap. They want to be well rested for their wedding night.  
  
"You're never going to get to sleep if you keep staring at that," Leo rubs his thumb over the brilliant stone that now resides on her ring finger on her left hand.  
  
"I know. I just can't help it." She still can't believe she let Leo talk her into such an expensive engagement ring. "Its so pretty."  
  
"Just like you," Leo points out, as he places a soft kiss on her nose.  
  
"Are you trying to get lucky?" She giggles.  
  
"Maybe," he smirks, taking her deeper into his arms. "Is it working?"  
  
"Is what working?" She runs her hand down his back.  
  
"My plan," he whispers into her ear as he starts to drop kisses down her neck.  
  
"What plan," she breathes out, trying very hard to conceal the excitement in her voice.  
  
"It's not working. Is it?" He asks, as he runs his hand inside her shirt.  
  
"Not so much," she lies.  
  
"Okay," he pouts, as he stops kissing her neck, removes his hand and flips over in bed.  
  
"Hey, get back over here." She laughs, as she playfully slaps his backside. "I was kidding."  
  
"Me too," he says as he quickly flips back over and quickly moves on top of her, grabbing her hands and pinning her to the bed. "You give?"  
  
"Maybe," she pauses, relaxing under him. "Leo, is this... real?"  
  
"You and me?" He asks, releasing her hands, sliding off of her and settling by her side.  
  
"Yeah," she blushes, lowering her head.  
  
"Yeah, Baby," he reaches over and tilts her chin towards him. "We're real. I love you and we're getting married tonight that is if you still want to. It's okay if you want to wait."  
  
"I don't want to wait," Margaret shakes her head. "I want to get married tonight. I guess... its... just I can't believe its really happening. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up, and it's all going to be a dream."  
  
"Its not a dream. It might have been a whirlwind, but it's not a dream." Leo kisses her forehead and pulls her close.  
  
"Leo?" She asks, pulling from his arms.  
  
"Yeah, Baby."  
  
"Do you think this..." she motions between them, "will hurt you or the President?"  
  
"I don't care, and neither does the President," Leo rises up on an elbow, reaches out and runs his hand down her arm.  
  
"How do you know he doesn't?" A panicked Margaret sits up in bed. "You called him, didn't you?" She accuses.  
  
"Yeah, I did. Ya know, he is my best friend." Leo informs her.  
  
"When?" She asks in a high-pitched voice.  
  
"Last night, after you went to sleep. I called him and told him my plans. Well not everything that I was planning on doing, just the asking you part." Leo lies back down on the bed and pulls Margaret down with him.  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"I won't go into all the details, but lets just say that he's very happy for us. I had to really fight him about coming down here and attending the wedding. Can ya imagine what a circus that would have been?"  
  
"Leo, should we wait and get married in DC, so that the President, First Lady, Mallory and the rest can come, too."  
  
"Nah, I went to get married here, with you and without the hoopla. Is that okay with you?" He asks, running a hand down her hip.  
  
"Very okay with me." She gives him a quick kiss. "Mallory doesn't mind missing your wedding?"  
  
"Its our wedding and she was fine with it. As a matter of fact, she and Abbey have gotten together and are planning a huge reception for us in a couple of weeks." Leo waits for this to sink in.  
  
"Really," she squeaks, her voice showing a little bit of excitement. "When did all this happen?"  
  
"Abbey called while you were trying on wedding gowns. You know, that's what you get for trying on so many different dresses." Leo smirks.  
  
"Am I going have to take your cell phone away from you?" She reaches over and tries to get in his pants pocket.  
  
"Nah, you know all my secrets now." He grabs her hand and pulls it to him.  
  
"All of them?" She raises an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Maybe," he laughs, as he kisses her hand.  
  
"So, you've got it all planned?" She asks, moving her hips against him.  
  
"Yeah, so lets forget about everything else. We have your dress, my tux arrived, we have the rings, the whole wedding is already planned and we have our license. So lets just relax. And as someone told me a couple nights ago, enjoy the peace and quiet. Because after tonight, you're going to be Mrs. Leo McGarry and you're going to have your hands full."  
  
"I can't wait," she breathes into his neck as she snuggles deeper into his hold.  
  
"Me either," he replies, enjoying the feel of her body pressed against his.  
  
==========  
  
The wedding goes without a hitch. The flowers are beautiful and abundant in the candle lit chapel. The service is with traditional vows and rings being exchanged. Several photos are taken during and after ceremony. Leo had promised the President lots of pictures. They leave the small chapel in a shower of rice and ride in a horse drawl carriage, that Leo surprised Margaret with, to the restaurant. After a very nice dinner, they are whisked back to their chalet in a limo.  
  
==========  
  
Leo unlocks the door to the chalet and then turns to Margaret starts to pick her up.  
  
"Leo, don't. You'll hurt yourself."  
  
"Margaret, you worry too much." Leo tells her as he tries to pick her up again.  
  
"Leo, I don't want you hurting your back on our wedding night or pulling my favorite muscle." She informs him, as she pulls him into her arms and kisses him firmly on the lips. A kiss that puts all other kisses to shame.  
  
"Okay," a dazed Leo and very happily relents as Margaret pulls from his arms and warps an arm around his waist and they walk though the door together.  
  
They stand in the entry way for a while trading a few romantic kisses. Margaret wants to change into something more comfortable, and Leo decides to build a romantic fire. As promised earlier in the day, he unzips her wedding dress and presses a kiss to her bare shoulder as it's exposed. He watches her walk away with the dress opened, sucking in a breath filled with passion.  
  
He puts some pillows and a blanket on the floor for them to relax against.  
  
When Margaret walks into their room, she finds a beautifully wrapped package on the bed. She walks over and opens in and finds a beautiful lacy negligee in just her size. She opens the card, and it is from her wonderful new husband.  
  
Baby,  
  
I saw this today, and I couldn't resist seeing you in it. I can't wait for tonight, our wedding night.  
  
All my love,  
  
Leo  
  
Margaret wipes the happy tears from her face as she picks up the long pale green nightgown from the box. She changes into it and sprays on a lightly scented perfume before she makes her way back out to the living room. She steps out and sees Leo standing next to the fireplace lost in thought, wearing the tux pants and dress shirt with the jacket discarded and the tie hanging loose around his neck. Soft music is playing in the background.  
  
"Leo?"  
  
Leo looks up and sees his beautiful wife standing before him in her pale green negligee. It takes his breath away to see her standing there, waiting for him, as they start their lives together. He takes her in his arms as the instrumental arrangement of "Isn't It Romantic" comes on the CD player. As they sway to the music, they look deeply into each other's eyes, smiling shyly, brushing gentle kisses on each other's lips, faces and necks as their hands slowly touch and explore.  
  
Leo moves in to kiss her lips, gently brushing them before leaning in for more. She opens her lips and invites his tongue to explore her mouth more completely. They both moan as they hungrily explore each other, barely moving in time to the music. Her arms move up to wrap around his neck, and his arms surround her waist, pulling her closer. They make their way over to the inviting fireplace and sink down onto the pillows that he's prepared.  
  
Margaret's hand reaches up to pull off his black tie as then both hands start to unbutton his dress shirt, placing more kisses on his chest as his skin is exposed. She pulls his shirttail from his pants so that she can more fully explore his chest.  
  
Leo reaches up to slip the spaghetti strap off her shoulder and kisses her neck and collarbone. Moving down toward her breast, his butterfly kisses arouse her even more.  
  
Margaret pulls him down on top of her. She moans softly as she feels his arousal pressing against her. She moves her knee to press gently into him causing him moan, "Oh, Margaret."  
  
She smiles as they roll onto their sides facing one another as her hand slides down to gently caress him through his pants. Her fingers slip inside the waistband of his pants to undo the fastener and the zipper. His navy silk boxers are sticking up through the zipper. She looks down and smiles in surprise, finding the boxers she always fantasized seeing him in.  
  
With a smile, her finger sliding from star to star, the small white stars shimmer with spontaneous movement. "Oh look Sweetie, it's the Little Dipper."  
  
Leo's face falls, and he mumbles with a pout, "The Little Dipper? Don't you mean the Big Dipper?"  
  
When Margaret sees the look on his face she knows she touched on any man's sore spot and leans forward to kiss his pouty lips and caress the side of his face, "Of course I meant the Big Dipper," she says seductively as her fingers brush him, making him shiver in anticipation. "Are you ready?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I think I am," he says as he pushes her onto her back. She looks so beautiful in the firelight. The light is dancing off her pale skin and fiery red hair. The blushed skin of her excitement is such a turn on. He slides her nightgown off her and slips out of the rest of his clothing.  
  
They make slow passionate love for the first time as husband and wife in front of that wonderful fire.  
  
==========  
  
After recovering from their lovemaking, they spend some time cuddling on the couch, in front of a roaring fire, talking about their wedding, the past few days, and making some plans for their future.  
  
"Margaret, when we get back. I want you to find us a place to live." He informs his bride, as he leans over and kisses her cheek.  
  
"I've been thinking about that. I think a condo or townhouse, instead of a house. I know we've not really talked about it, but we don't know where we'll be or what we'll be doing after the White House," she reasons, as she takes a hold of his hand.  
  
"To tell ya the truth, I haven't even looked past the White House for a long time, because I never had reason to until now. I'm not sure what I'll do after the White House, all I care about is that I'm with you," he tells her as he kisses her hand.  
  
"I guess I figured you take some time off, at least one or two days," she snickers. "And then go out on the lecture circuit for a while or maybe even teach Poly Sci at some university."  
  
"Me... teach?" Leo points at himself. "You've got the wrong person, Mallory's the teacher."  
  
"I think you'd make a great teacher. Where do you think Mallory got it from, anyway?"  
  
"I don't know. I'm not sure I could handle teaching kids," Leo says, giving it some serious thought.  
  
"Leo, what do you think you've been doing these past five years?"  
  
"True. But, sometimes it seems more like I'm the principal, though."  
  
"Leo, we don't have to decide anything tonight. Besides, if you wanted, you'd never have to work again anyway."  
  
"Margaret, have you been reading the disclosure reports again?" He smirks, turning and pulling her into his arms.  
  
"Maybe. I just wanted to see if the man that I've spent the past few years daydreaming about, would be able to keep me in the manner that I've become custom to," she laughs, nuzzling her face against his neck.  
  
"And, do I meet your standards?" He breathes into her ear.  
  
"You exceed them in more ways than one."  
  
"Good to know," he smirks. "Lets go get more comfortable, Mrs. McGarry," he tells her in his gravelly voice.  
  
"I'm all for that, Mr. McGarry" as she slowly pulls from his arms and gets up from the couch wearing his shirt just as she had a few short days before. Margaret reaches back for Leo's hand and pulls him off the couch. They walk arm in arm off to the bedroom to begin their life together as a married couple, with her no longer regretting getting caught up in his shirttail.  
  
The End. 


End file.
